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Joe Effiong, Uyo
The ban on commercial motorcycle business in several towns in Akwa Ibom state has continued to generate violent clashes between the operators and the police, leading to the death of two cyclists so far in Eket.
The two motorcyclists were allegedly killed in the oil-rich coastal town of the state between Sunday and Monday, causing the aggrieved riders to set a police patrol van ablaze.
But the police command in the state has denied knowledge of any death even as it admitted arresting 19 motorcyclists in connection with the burnt patrol van.
The ban was instituted by the state government and the police authorities in Eket are said to have used several means to enforce it between 6pm and 6am to check the upsurge in crime in the area But the okada riders rejected and flouted the order by operating beyond the stipulated period.
One of the aggrieved cyclists, Okposin Emmanuel, told journalists that the police surveillance team had capitalized on the ban to harass them as early 5.30pm, beating them and impounding their motorcycles.
“Last Sunday, they shot dead one of our colleagues in the night and the body has been deposited in the mortuary at Immanuel General hospital, Eket,” Emmanuel said.
He attributed the Tuesday revolt to the death of another of their colleagues, identified simply as Udo, from Idung Udoe.
He was allegedly beaten to coma by a policeman on Monday, and he later died in the same Immanuel Hospital, Eket.
“Our member, Udo, from Idung Udoe in Eket died last night from injuries he sustained in the hands of a policeman, so we revolted,” he said.
He said the youths and motorcycle operators had taken the body to Eket local government council as well as the area police station but the council chairman, Frank Archibong, was not available to address them.
When contacted, the police public relations office in the state, Odiko McDon, said the restriction order was from the state government as a strategy to check cultism and all forms of criminality in the area.
McDon denied knowledge of death of any okada rider in connection with the police trying to enforce the restriction order.
He, however, vowed that police would stop at nothing in ensuring that the order is implemented to the letter in Eket.
“They razed down our Volvo that had a mechanical fault and we have arrested 19 persons in connection with that. We are certain that lots of criminal activities would be curtailed in the area if motorcycle riders are restricted within these hours,” he said.
