Peter Obi Supporters’ Clash: Delta Okada Riders Protest Killing Of Colleague

Commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators in Delta State have staged a protest in Asaba over the killing of one of their members, Chinaza Sunday, during Saturday’s political violence involving supporters of the Obidient Movement.

The protesters, operating under the Commercial Motorcycles and Tricycles Operators Association (COMTOA), marched from Summit Road to the Delta State Police Command headquarters, demanding the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the killing.

Armed with placards, the operators called on the police to ensure that justice was served, insisting that their deceased colleague was carrying out his legitimate business when he was killed.

Receiving the protesters at the police headquarters, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Administration, Philip Adejo, assured the association that the command would investigate the incident and ensure that those found culpable were brought to justice.

Adejo, who confirmed receipt of the association’s petition, urged the protesters to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their hands.

“We have received your petition. Sometimes self-help can become a serious problem. We sympathise with you; go home and rest because you will see results. It is not going to be like other situations,” he said.

He also encouraged the association’s leadership to cooperate with investigators by providing relevant information that could help establish the circumstances surrounding the killing.

“Your leaders can meet us, and if you have any strong information concerning this, you can come to us so that we can iron it out together,” Adejo added.

Speaking on behalf of the association, a member of its Board of Trustees, Okeoghene Kingsley, described the killing as unjustified, maintaining that the deceased was at his duty post conducting his legitimate business when he was attacked.

Kingsley said COMTOA had operated in Delta State for more than 30 years, spanning military administration and successive democratic governments, while consistently promoting discipline and orderliness among its members.

He expressed confidence in the police but urged the command to ensure that those responsible for the death were identified and prosecuted.

“The young man that was murdered was at his duty post carrying out his legitimate duty, where he met his untimely death. As you have said, we want to believe that we have confidence in the Nigerian Police that they will do justice to this issue and those persons should be brought to book,” he said.

The association’s representative further disclosed that members were prepared to assist the police with relevant evidence, including video recordings and information about individuals allegedly involved in the violence.

He also rejected any suggestion that the deceased was involved in criminal or political activities, insisting that he was neither an armed robber nor a political thug.

“Chinasa has not been an armed robber. He has not been a thug or a political thug. Everybody you are seeing here is going about our lawful duties. Nobody here is a thug,” Kingsley said.

He maintained that members of the association were entitled to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, including supporting political organisations of their choice, provided they acted within the law.

“Everybody here has the right to belong to anybody he likes to belong to because there is freedom of association, which includes lawful assembly,” he added.

Kingsley said the association would hold the police to their promise to investigate the killing and ensure that justice was served.

The protest followed a violent confrontation on Saturday, November 7, along Nnebisi Road, Asaba, during a procession organised by the Obidient/OK Movement in support of Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The incident reportedly resulted in one death and left five other persons injured.

The Delta State Police Command, through its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, had said it received intelligence indicating a possible outbreak of violence ahead of the procession.

According to the police, the organisers were invited to a security meeting and advised against conducting an open street march. However, the command alleged that the organisers disregarded the advice.

The Delta State Government also blamed the organisers for failing to comply with the security recommendations, arguing that the violence could have been prevented if the procession had been relocated to a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be made.

However, the Nigerian Democratic Congress rejected the accounts presented by the police and state government, describing the incident as a deliberate attack on opposition supporters.

The party called for an independent investigation, the arrest of those responsible and the public disclosure of the identities of those killed and injured.

While the police had earlier said the identities of the victims were yet to be established, investigations into the incident were said to be ongoing.

Monday’s demonstration has further intensified calls for accountability over the Asaba violence, with the commercial transport operators insisting that the killing of their colleague must not go unpunished.