Anxiety, Protest In Osun Communities Over Killing Of Okada Riders

THERE was palpable fear in Iba, a community in Ifelodun local government area of Osun State, following the killing of a yet-to-be-identified commercial motorcyclist on Wednesday by unknown assailants.

Residents of Obaagun/Iba communities protested the killing of the middle-aged man on Wednesday evening, describing the act as inhuman.

According to sources, the assailants took away the deceased motorcycle after murdering him in cold blood. 

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command, Mrs Kehinde Adeleke, said the command was investigating the case, assuring that the perpetrators would soon be arrested.

According to Adeleke, the NSCDC would not relent on its efforts to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book in no distant time.

She said: “The deceased rode a motorcycle before he was attacked around Obaagun-Iba road. He was killed and his motorcycle taken away. The incident is still being investigated with a view to arrest the suspect.

“The motive behind the act is also yet to be ascertained, but operatives are still investigating the incident with a view to apprehending the perpetrators of the act”.

Similarly, a motorcyclist whose identity was yet to be knownwas also on Monday murdered at Oke-Baale area of Osogbo, the state capital. 

The Okada rider was said to have been waylaid, attacked and murdered in cold blood on Monday night.

According to sources, the victim was reported to have been dismembered while his motorcycle was stolen.

The motorcyclist’s head, fists, heart and flesh of his thigh were reportedly removed and taken away.

Residents of the area noted that the attackers might have laid siege in the area and monitored people’s movement before attacking the man who was riding home after work.

One of the residents who prayed not to be named, said: “We woke up to discover his dismembered lifeless body in our area. We suspect that he was attacked on Monday night when it was raining because the man was already riding his motorcycle home. There were wraps of fufu that he had bought apparently for members of his family.

“It was a disgusting and shocking sight as his head was chopped off, his heart was removed, his fists were also cut off while the flesh on his right thigh was sliced out. We are really afraid and we want the government to provide security for us.”