Ogun police arrest, prosecute okada riders for using ‘unathorised helmets’

The police in Ogun State have arrested and prosecuted no fewer than nine commercial motorcyclists for the alleged use of unauthorised helmets.

The spokesperson of Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, had directed that proactive measures should be taken “to address the use of unauthorized motorcycle helmets for criminal activities.”

Consequently, Odutola stated that “police have started arresting individuals who wear tinted reflective helmets and pose as commercial motorcyclists to rob unsuspecting passengers.”

She disclosed that, “it has become increasingly common for these criminals to wrap bandanas around their faces, leaving only their eyes visible, while wearing the unauthorized helmets as a disguise.”

This method, she alleged, allows the Okada riders “to conceal their identities and carry out their illegal activities.”

As a response to this growing trend, the PPRO disclosed that “the police have successfully arrested nine riders who were found to be using these illegal methods to conceal their identities.”

Newsmen learnt that the arrested suspects are currently being interrogated at the Ijebu Ode Police Station.

They include: Joseph Itodo, Johnson Joseph, Ugwu Samson, Osinowo Seyi, and five others “who were unable to provide a reasonable explanation for wearing unauthorized helmets and masking their faces with bandanas.”

Meanwhile, the police have charged passengers to exercise caution by conducting identity checks on motorcycle riders before getting on board to avoid potential kidnapping and robbery.