Ogun Okada riders clash in court, 25 arrested

Members of rival factions of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association on Wednesday in Abeokuta, engaged in a violent clash that left several persons injured.

Two factions of the commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders, clashed at the premises of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, where they are currently engaged in a legal battle.

Scores of civil servants and innocent bystanders in the area fled in different directions to escape the violence as the feuding ACOMORAN members freely used dangerous weapons, including guns,

machetes and other missiles against one another.

Sporadic gunshots allegedly fired by the rival ACOMORAN members were said to have attracted the attention of the state military anti-crime outfit, Operation MESA, the police, operatives of the State Security Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Our correspondent gathered that the crux of the matter was a suit filed by the former Secretary of the association, Lateef Yekini, challenging his alleged detention sometime ago by the ACOMORAN

Chairman, Alhaji Shamsudeen Apelogun.

The Apelogun group had accused the former secretary of embezzling the association's funds totaling about N1m and subsequently invited the police to investigate the matter.

A free-for-all however ensued among the members of the two factions in the court premises shortly after the case was adjourned till December 3.