A large group of commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders, gathered at the Ayangbure of Ikorodu’s palace on Thursday morning to protest against alleged extortion and illegal arrests by the Nigeria Police Force.

The demonstrators blocked the road in front of the palace, seeking the intervention of both the king and the government to put an end to police harassment and bribery.

The protesters argued that Ikorodu Local Government Area was not included in the list of areas where the Lagos State Government had banned Okada operations.

Therefore, they viewed the continuous arrests and extortion by the police as unjustified and unlawful.

One of the riders, Kazeem Gbadegesin, expressed frustration at the police’s actions, stating that they had turned to Okada riding as a means to make a living due to a lack of other job opportunities.

Mudashiru Ayinde, another protester, described a recent incident where the police forcefully seized their bikes, leading to injuries among their colleagues.

The riders are hoping for the king’s intervention, as he has previously supported them in similar situations.

As of the time of reporting, attempts to contact the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer for comment were unsuccessful.