A commercial motorcyclist has been allegedly stabbed to death by a member of a transport union tax collection group, popularly known as agberos, following an argument over a N100 ticket in the Ijoko area of Ogun State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night after a disagreement between the deceased and some levy collectors escalated into a violent confrontation.
Although it was unclear at press time if the suspect had been arrested, the killing sparked protests by commercial motorcyclists across Lambe, Agbado and Akute communities on Wednesday.
Some riders were seen confronting levy collectors in parts of the affected areas, disrupting transport activities and forcing many commuters to trek to their destinations.
A motorcyclist, who identified himself simply as Rasheed, told Newsmen that two persons were stabbed during the altercation, but only one survived.
“They were fighting over a N100 ticket. It started as a small argument before it escalated on Tuesday night. The person who was killed is one of the motorcyclists from Nasarawa,” he said.
“His colleagues are the ones now confronting agberos in Lambe, Ijoko and parts of Akute.”
Another rider in Akute, Ganiyu, confirmed the incident, saying tensions had remained high since the killing.
The man was stabbed to death by one of the agberos during an argument over the ticket. The agbero suddenly brought out a knife and stabbed him,” he said.
“Some riders have refused to work since then, which is why there are fewer commercial motorcyclists around today. The police are aware and arrested some people during another confrontation.”
A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment officially, confirmed the incident on Thursday but clarified that it occurred in Ijoko, within the Agbado-Sango axis, and not in Akute.
“After the incident, the deceased’s colleagues in Lambe and Akute staged protests to express their anger,” the officer said.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Ogun State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, had yet to respond to enquiries as of the time of filing this report.
- Violent clashes between commercial motorcyclists and levy collectors are not new in the state. In recent years, riders have repeatedly protested what they describe as extortion and harassment.
In 2023, a similar confrontation at Akute Bus Stop and Alagbole in Ifo Local Government Area over increased ticket fees led to the destruction of property, closure of shops and residents fleeing for safety.
