Motorcycle union clash leaves two hospitalized in Bomadi

Clash between two commercial motorcycle unions popularly called Okada Union over union ticket booking territory has left one of its union chairmen and another seriously butchered in Bomadi, Fresh Angle can exclusively report.

Our Bomadi Correspondent reports that the affected union chairman, Mr. Ebiotu Awe and the second victim, one 36-year old, Mr. Eyoroere Oyakemeagbegha, an ex-okada union chairman is now receiving treatment at the emergency unit of the Bomadi General Hospital.

Trouble started when Mr. Ebiotu Awe, chairman Okada union, Bomadi and his Kpakiama counterpart, Mr. Akpofini Ebibo argued over control of a territory at the Bomadi over-side where the union carries out its revenue activities.

The argument resulted in a fierce cutlass battle of supremacy, leaving the present Bomadi Okada union chairman and a former chairman of the union in deep cutlass cuts on several parts of their body.

The Kpakiama okada union chairman, Mr. Ebibo who spoke to Fresh Angle claimed that his union at the Bomadi over-side had been in existence since its establishment in 1993 by one late Chief Ayetoro Preyor of Kpakiama when the bridge had not been constructed.

He maintained that even after the bridge was constructed, the Kpakiama motorcycle union has been carrying out union activities without argument from any quarters until the recent clash which he described as “a surprise”.

In his account, the motorcycle union chairman of Bomadi said the Kpakiama motorcycle union has never at anytime collected union levies at the Bomadi over-side, claiming that “the Kpakiama okada union encroached our territory for their revenue drive at a period when the union at Bomadi had some leadership issues”.

According to him, when he assumed office, he tried to stop them from collecting the revenue, but they continued.

Mr. Awe lamented on his hospital bed that even when the issue was reported to the Joint Task Force, JTF, 222 Battalion Bomadi unit for the interest of peace, Kpakiama okada union allegedly continued and chose “to attack us with dangerous weapons”. 

In a swift reaction, the JTF drafted its men to avoid further bloodshed and suspended both unions from collection of levies pending the determination of the case by the aggrieved parties.

The commander advised both parties to settle themselves and warned them that he will not tolerate any further act of lawlessness and breakdown of public order.

It is believed in some quarters that a subtle land agitation may have fuelled the motorcycle union crisis in Bomadi, which most residents of the area think is a tip of the iceberg.

An investigation revealed that the land dimension of the clash was further confirmed when the Kpakiama community chairman, Mr. Obasanjo Edounkumor declared that the Kpakiama community owns the land where the okada union was collecting its levies at the Bomadi over-side. He claimed that “the community has its backing by a Supreme Court judgment”.

In a swift reaction, the chairman Bomadi Urban Federated Communities, Mr. Clement Tikpa dismissed the claim, saying “such a claim is outrageous”.

He insisted that Bomadi community is the original owner of the land, stating that “the Bomadi over-side is not under agitation with Kpakiama community over ownership”.

Tikpa further stated that “for the avoidance of doubt, Bomadi community has its boundary with Ayetoro settlement, which is situated halfway between Bomadi over-side and Kpakiama community”.

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