Five OYRTMA officials injured in violent riders clash

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‎‎Five officials of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority were, on Monday, injured, while several operational vehicles were damaged, during a violent clash with some motorcycle riders at Soka junction in Oluyole Local Government Area of the state.

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An investigation by PUNCH Online revealed that the officials were enforcing the state’s QR-coded jacket policy on commercial motorcyclists at the time of the incident.

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‎It was further gathered that the confrontation involved aggrieved riders, disrupting traffic flow in the area and raised fresh concerns over resistance to the ongoing regulatory exercise.

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PUNCH Online reports that the State Government had, in June, 2025, vowed to prosecute and bar any commercial motorcycle rider popularly called an Okada rider operating without a QR code-embedded jacket within the state, following a surge in criminal activities involving unregistered operators in the state.

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The state Chairman OYRTMA, Adekoya Adesagba, then urged the residents to patronise only Okada riders with official QR code jackets, reaffirming the commitment of the agency to enforcing the policy for the commercial motorcycle riders.

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He explained that recent incidents include armed robbers on an unmarked motorcycle snatching a trader’s earnings at gunpoint in Bodija Market, while a passenger was also robbed by a fake Okada rider in the Challenge Area of the state.

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On Monday, the clash started when the team arrived at Soka Junction. Officials observed widespread non-compliance with the QR jacket directive and halted rider engagement to sensitise them to the policy’s importance.

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‎During the process, a group of aggrieved riders attacked the officials, hurling stones and wooden planks. One officer was reportedly struck in the chest, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

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‎‎Personnel of the Amotekun Corps, who accompanied the team as security backup, were also attacked.

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‎‎In the aftermath, four agency-operated vehicles were severely damaged.

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‎As of press time, three injured personnel remained hospitalised, while others were treated for minor injuries.

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‎Confirming the incident, on Tuesday, the OYRTMA Chairman, Adesagba, condemned the attack, describing it as barbaric, unacceptable, and a direct assault on constituted authority.

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Adesagba, in a statement released by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday, said, “Our officers were on lawful duty to enforce a government policy designed to ensure security, accountability, and proper regulation of commercial motorcycle operations across the state.

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“It is deeply unfortunate that they were met with such violent resistance.”

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He insisted that the QR jacket initiative was aimed at improving public safety, curbing criminal activities, and creating a reliable identification system for okada riders.

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“We will not be deterred by acts of violence. The enforcement will continue, and those responsible for this attack will be identified and brought to justice,” he vowed.

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He also called on stakeholders, including transport unions and community leaders, to support the government’s efforts and educate their members on the importance of compliance.

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Security agencies have reportedly been notified, and investigations into the incident are currently ongoing.

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