Trailer Crushes Okada Rider In Ibadan (Graphic Photo)

A young commercial motorcycle rider, who was
simply identified as Kehinde, was on Tuesday
killed in a controversial circumstance under the
round about bridge at Iwo-Road, Ibadan.
The victim was said to have died instantly, after
being bashed onto an oncoming trailer, as his
brain was completely removed from his skull,
together with his tattered dress flying on the road.
Eyewitnesses informed the Nigerian Tribune that
the okada rider was pushed into an oncoming
trailer by a Micra taxi, whose driver was allegedly
being pursued by the state’s Vehicle Inspection
Officers (VIO).
Others said the VIOs were allegedly trying to
collect their “normal daily revenue of N2,500 from
okada riders, thereby pushing the rider into the
oncoming trailer in the process.”
According to those who volunteered to speak with
journalists, the VIO officers laid siege for the Micra
cabs beside two Ajumose shuttle buses, to either
check their papers or made them pay into the
coffers of the government. But Kehinde, who
carried a female passenger, was plying the right
side of the road under the bridge.
They also informed that on a normal day, the road
runs on three lanes.
According to the source, “the okada rider was
plying the right side of the road close to the wall of
the bridge and had nothing to do with the VIOs, but
there was a Micra cab which was being pursued
by the VIOs which was plying the second lane
(middle lane) and in an attempt to dodge the VIO’s
inspection team, bashed the okada rider on the
third lane, where the trailer was coming from
behind.
“The female passenger on the okada successfully
jumped off the bike, sustaining minor injuries,
while the trailer battered the rider to death. You
can see his brain (pointing to the ground) gushed
out from his head. The trailer driver was unaware
of the development; he just continued his journey.”
The source further hinted that “the VIOs erred, as
they sped off immediately after the accident
instead of pursuing the trailer.”
Another eyewitness, however, alleged that it was
the VIOs that was pursuing the okada rider to
collect N2,500 revenue and in the process, pushed
the okada rider onto the oncoming trailer.
It was some fellow riders who were at the scene
that quickly identified his corpse.
Kehinde’s death, Nigerian Tribune gathered had
scuttled his child’s christening ceremony today.
This irked his colleagues who stormed Ikolaba
office of the VIO, but they were prevented from any
act of lawlessness by the police.
It was even gathered that some of them were
arrested by the men of the SARS, who provided
security at the Ikolaba office of the agency.
When informed about the death of her husband, his
wife was claimed to have fainted.
His remains had been deposited at the Adeoyo
State Hospital morgue, Yemetu, Ibadan.
Meanwhile, the chief VIO, Michael Ajibola, could not
be reached, as he was said to be holding meetings
following the development.