Police in Abuja have been accused of attempting to shield a woman of evading justice over the death of a motorcycle rider on April 5, 2016.
In a press statement issued by the Bikers Community in Abuja, they called on the attention of “all media houses, well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to the series of negative actions daily meted by car users and the FCT administration” on bikers living in the city.
The group narrated that, “On Friday, 1st of April, 2016, along the Yoruba mosque axis of the Maitama district, a Biker was on an afternoon ride and anyone who knows this road would be familiar with the acute left bend which runs through the Yoruba mosque to a straight road that takes you to the popular EMAB plaza.
“Unknown to the rider, a woman out of impatience was carelessly driving against traffic as to avoid the traffic gridlock caused by the mosque on her rightful lane and decided to drive one-way through the very dangerous bend.
“By the time the rider could sight the on-coming vehicle, it was too late and a head-on collision became unavoidable.
“Tuesday, April 5, 2016, our dear brother passed on.
“It was however not surprising that after his death, we tried to reach the woman through the IPO, Abah Emmanuel, at the Maitama police station, and so many shocking details was revealed.
“1. The woman who caused the accident was not even arrested or made to leave a statement as she was allowed to leave for her home directly from the hospital where the rider was rushed to.
“2. The whereabouts of the woman and her car is unknown as it was not taken to the police station. IPO claims they have orders to lodge accidented cars at the VIO, this is apparently not true as efforts to compel the officer to let us sight the vehicle proved abortive. They also do not have in possession her car papers as well as driver’s license.
“3. Asides the woman’s phone number, the police have no other information about her and only relying on her to answer her calls, to which she hasn’t.
“4. The car, a TOYOTA MATRIX with plate number BW 447 RSH is suspected to be carrying an illegal plate number.”
“We hereby call on all media outlets and well-meaning Nigerians not to let this matter be covered up in any form as it indicates, something sinister is already happening,” the group appealed.
The group threatened to “release video evidences of this cover-up attempt from eye witnesses at the scene of the accident and picture evidences of events that occurred throughout this period” if the police refuse to uphold the law.
They said “bikers are fun loving hard working Nigerians, you can’t own a bike if you are not hardworking, so Nigerians should change the notion that bikers are irresponsible and jobless.”
“Last week the NTA tried to cook up a story that a reckless biker had caused an accident without prior investigation; this is how we are daily treated by car users and the media.
“Religious organizations who are fond of blocking roads during prayer times should do so through the proper channels or be shut down, they are the major cause of this sad event.
“Bikers are the largest single community on charitable courses than any single NGO or Government.
“The rider’s life has been avoidably cut short by a driver who was riding against traffic while eating at the same time but people prefer to blame the rider for reasons best known to them. This should not be so. This is one of many incidents that have occurred but this time, we say ENOUGH.
“We will continue to enlighten the community that biking like every other sport has its own lovers and they should therefore be treated fairly. Power bikes are a means of transportation and users are covered within the ambits of the law to use it as so.
“If the police refuses to bring this woman to book, the biking community will rise up to resist this with all legal means possible so as to ensure their free rites to movement and association is not infringed upon.
“An international press conference and public protests will follow if within 48 hrs, the Nigeria Police refuse to produce the woman in question and prosecute the case through the proper channel,” they said.
