came short of a war front, as Motorcycle (Okada) riders encountered
armed policemen, causing gridlock on the Yaba-Ojuelegba road.
Apparently acting on orders, the policemen surrounded the NLC
building, take-off point of the protest. This however did little to
deter the organisers, Joint Action Front (JAF), as they remained
adamant, saying they needed no permit to hold a peaceful rally.
As tension grew, the police who were already overwhelmed by the
gathering, called for reinforcement from nearby stations. Four of the
people distributing leaflets among the crowd were later arrested, an
action which further angered the protesters.
Protesting further against the obstruction of the rally, JAF
Secretary, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, told the police team thus "If
Fashola still smokes despite warnings that tobacco smokers are liable
to die young; motorbike operators also have a right to continue their
operations with provided warnings that bike passengers are liable to
be injured in an accident".