Gunmen, on Wednesday, attacked a 50-year-old Okada rider, Sikiru Muritala, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in an attempt to snatch the machine, and chopped off his hand.
Investigations by PUNCH Metro revealed that the incident happened at Saribi in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state around 9 pm, and all efforts by the men of the underworld to snatch the bike were unsuccessful.
Speaking with our correspondent on his hospital bed at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, on Thursday, Muritala said, “I am a trailer mechanic, but when things turned upside down, I decided to go for Okada business.
“On that day, though, I normally picked passengers to that area. I went to drop a passenger, and as I was coming back, they attacked me with the intention of snatching the bike. They spoke the language I didn’t understand. Unfortunately, they were unable to go with the bike. But they chopped off my hand. You can see for yourself.
“They chopped off my hand and collected my phone and all my money. We are spending a huge amount of money currently at the UCH. I need government assistance and well-to-do people in society to assist me. They should help me,” he pleaded.
As of press time, all efforts to get a reaction from the Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, were not successful, as his telephone number was not reachable.