There was an uproar in Akure, the Ondo State Capital at the weekend following a protest by Commercial motorcyclist, popularly called okada against alleged extortion by men of the Ondo state Police command.

The okada riders who marched on major streets and roads in Akure called on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Isaac Eke to caution his men, who they alleged often frustrate them on the road through extortion.

During the protest which lasted for several hours, business activities were totally paralysed, as major roads were blocked by the protesters who moved round the city in large number.

The protesters started their demonstration from the Plaza junction, Oke Ijebu area of the state capital, leading to traffic gridlock.

It was gathered that the protest became serious following the alleged beating of one of the protesters by the policemen attached to ‘A’ Division Police station, Akure.

The unit leader of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Oluwaseun Adesina alleged that policemen from ‘A’ and Ijapo police Divisions, were often extorting his members on daily basis.

He said “on daily basis, the police from ‘A’ Division and Ijapo’ police stations will seize our motorcycles and take them to the station for committing no offence.

“Whether your particulars are corrector not we have to pay them between N1, 000 and N5, 000 before our motorcycles are released to us.

“Everyday, this is what we go through here in Ijomu,Oke-Ijebu,Alagbaka and Ijapo estate in the hands of the policemen.

Some of them will dress in mufti just to make sure they arrest us. This is making life unbearable for us”

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO)Wole Ogodo,said he had not been properly briefed on the matter as at press time.