Commercial motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada riders in Gboko, Benue State, on Friday, protested the alleged serial killings of their members.

The protest, which started on Friday morning, paralysed social and business activities in the ancient town.

The motorcyclists barricaded all major roads in Gboko, preventing vehicular movement and crippled other commercial activities in the area.

The motorcyclists also took their protest to the Gboko Local Government Council Secretariat, calling the attention of the council chairman to the development.

They also burnt tyres and chanted solidarity songs, demanding government intervention to end the killing of their members.

One of the protesters, who identified himself as Terna, alleged that several of their members had recently fallen victim to violent attacks by unknown killers who either killed or maimed them before snatching their motorcycles.

Terna said, “It has become a frequent occurrence now that our members would carry passengers who, in turn, kill them and snatch their motorcycles.

“Last night (Thursday), three of our members were killed in this town and their motorcycles taken away.”

One of the union leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity during the protest, noted that Okada riders remain peace-loving citizens who are contributing meaningfully to the council economy and deserve better protection from the government.

He appealed to the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to urgently intervene by directing security agencies to investigate the killings and intensify patrols across Gboko and neighbouring communities.

Chairman of Gboko Local Government, Torseer Yina, while addressing the Okada riders, sympathised with them over the death of their members and the loss of their means of livelihood.

He assured them of his maximum support and promised to initiate necessary security measures that would curb the situation.

He told them that he had already convened a security meeting to instruct security personnel to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

Yina further condoled with the BEMOA association and the families of the slain victims and assured them that justice would be served to the affected victims.

When contacted, the state police command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said that the command is investigating the incident and assured all that police were on top of the situation. (The PUNCH)