By Desire Emmanuel
Some commercial motorcycle riders took laws into their hands on Saturday, January 24, in Bauchi State as they protested over what they described as “imposition of forced levies.”
They were said to have invaded the Vehicle Inspection Officers office as well as the building belonging to the Bauchi State Road Traffic Agency (BAROTA) in the metropolis, destroying the building as well as vehicles and other valuables.
It was gathered that trouble began when one of the Okada riders was reportedly beaten up and his motorcycle seized by some revenue collection agents near Wunti gate behind Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium over his refusal to pay some levies.
He was said to have reported the assault to his colleagues who mobilised to the area and started using all sorts of weapons on the revenue agents.
They also went ahead and destroyed the office of the VIO as well as the BAROTA building before policemen were invited to the scene.
Police officers from the A, B, C and D Divisions as well as men of the Rapid Response Squad of the state police command were said to have raced to the scene where they used teargas to disperse the angry Okada riders.
The officers were also said to have arrested about eight of the Okada riders and reports said normalcy had been restored to the area after the police held a meeting with the officials of the Joint Motorcycle and Tricycle Riders Association in the city.
