A dispute over a N100 ticket has reportedly led to the death of a commercial motorcyclist in the Ijoko area of Ogun State, triggering widespread protests by riders across several neighbouring communities.
The motorcyclist was allegedly stabbed to death on Tuesday night during an argument with a member of a transport union levy collection group, popularly known as agberos. The confrontation reportedly escalated from a minor disagreement into a violent clash.
Although it was unclear as of press time whether the suspect had been arrested, the killing sparked protests on Wednesday by commercial motorcyclists in Lambe, Agbado and Akute communities. Riders were seen confronting levy collectors in different locations, disrupting transportation activities and forcing many commuters to trek to their destinations.
A motorcyclist who identified himself simply as Rasheed told PUNCH Metro that two riders 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, also confirmed the incident, noting that tension has 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 speak officially, confirmed the incident on Thursday. However, he clarified that the killing 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 command’s spokesperson, Babaseyi Oluseyi, 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 Ogun State. In recent years, riders have repeatedly protested what they describe as extortion and harassment by ticketing agents.
In 2023, a similar confrontation at Akute Bus Stop and Alagbole in Ifo Local Government Area over increased ticket fees resulted in the destruction of property, closure of shops and residents fleeing their homes for safety.
