Okada riders worried over rising ritual killing of colleagues in Ilorin

A frightening dimension has been added to suspected cases of rituals in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, as commercial motorcycle operators, otherwise known as okada riders, have suddenly become targets of the ritualists.

Many of the motorcyclists are of late being lured into the Government Reservation Area (GRA) of the town by ritualists posing as passengers, only to be mowed down by members of the group.

The worst hit areas are the ‘Flower Garden’ end and popular Kingston Road of the metropolis, as the ritualists often capitalise on the serenity of the areas and the deciduous nature of the garden to murder their unsuspecting victims.

In the last two weeks, there have been unconfirmed cases of three persons said to be okada riders matchetted to death, with all their major internal organs and alimentary canals taken away.

The last occurred on Sunday, June 2, when, according to sources, the victim, a newly wedded middle-aged man from Odo-Owa area of the state, simply identified as Kayode, was brutally attacked with cutlasses, while his entire alimentary canal was consequently removed.

Kayode, who resided at Kilanko area of Ilorin, was said to have newly secured the motorcycle on hired purchase arrangement, with the hope of using proceeds from it as a means of livelihood for himself and his new wife.

According to a source: “On that Sunday, around 5pm, some people said they saw him riding down the GRA road with an unidentified passenger. But few minutes after that, some of his fellow Okada riders came to his wife with his blood soaked jacket, having met him in the pool of his blood around Flower Garden area.