Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
An okada rider in Ekiti State identified as Mr Idowu Owoeye, has alleged that he was beaten black and blue by a soldier detailed to the Okeyinmi area of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. The man said he was conveying a pregnant woman who needed urgent medical attention to a pharmaceutical store when the tragic incident happened.
Mr Owoeye told our correspondent that, he resides in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state. He said that he was not riding his motorcycle for commercial purpose, but only assisted the pregnant woman (Mrs Idowu Bankole) who was sick and wanted to get some drugs prescribed for her from a pharmaceutical store in Ado-Ekiti.
The incident which occurred at 12:14 pm, got the attention of few onlookers who described the action of the operative as mistreatment, adding that such action had become a common place since the commencement of the lockdown in the state.
Narrating their experiences to Daily Sun, Mr Owoeye said: “Mrs Bankole and I are neighbours. All through our ride from Ifaki-Ekiti to Okeyinmi, whenever we were questioned at the different checkpoints we came across, she would show them the drug prescription sheet and we would be allowed passage. When we got to Okeyinmi, the soldier yelled at me that I should park, I tried to explain, he didn’t listen to me. I obeyed and parked. He asked me to lie down and started beating me and later seized my motorcycle.”
Mrs Bankole tearful said: “I have been very sick. I was supposed to have bought the drugs but I was held back by the lockdown. I couldn’t get the drugs in Ifaki, so I told my neighbour, Mr Owoeye, to assist me with his motorcycle to buy the drugs in Ado-Ekiti. Each time security operatives stopped us, I would show them the drug prescription sheet and we would be allowed to go. I had bought the drugs and we were returning to Ifaki, when we got to Okeyinmi, we tried to explain to the soldier, but we were shut up. He insisted that we should park, he hurriedly removed the key of the motorcycle and asked Mr Owoeye to lie down; he obeyed him, then, he started beating him. I pleaded and showed him the drugs I was carrying, he ignored my pleas, but threatened to beat me too. He seized the motorcycle and parked it within the reach of his eyes and went back to his duty.”
A source revealed that, it took the intervention of some good Samaritans at the scene who had pleaded with one of the operatives to secure the relea