When a man in his early forties simply identified as Dare bade farewell to his lover on Sunday morning, the duo did not know that it would probably be the last time they would ever see.
ILESA – an ancient city in Osun is passing through one of its difficult moments. Some group of people have come together to secretly embark on an evil mission within the Ilesa metropolis. They lure Okada riders, hijack their motorcycles and cut off their heads or private parts.
This sad occurrence is not new. It was gathered that more than eight families have alerted the public about their missing relatives who are Okada riders.
This reporter also learnt that all these Okada riders have same tale – leaving home very early and went missing after some hours. And the case of Dare, a native of Efon-Alaaye seems not different.
His relatives and friends are still finding it extremely fearful over the sudden disappearance of this young man. Why did he leave his home? Was he abducted?
Was he murdered in cold blood? Was he a victim of domestic violence and committed suicide? These are questions people troubling peoples mind.
Close associates including neigbors have continued to express worry over this issue, wondering why a grown-up man would abandon his home, loved ones and everything he has ever worked for.
Dare, an Okada rider left his phones at home which made it almost impossible for his location to be tracked.
This reporter gathered that his relatives have reported the matter to the police but security operatives in charge of the matter have not recorded any success.
They have not made any arrest but family members of Dare, a native of Efon-Alaaye, a community in Ekiti State have not gone to bed over the issue.
Findings by WITHIN NIGERIA revealed that Dare who is a native of Efon-Alaaye is not the only missing Okada rider in Ilesa, an ancient community in Osun State.
There are almost eight reported cases of Okada riders who have gone missing too within the Ilesa metropolis. As at the time of filing this report, they have not been found.
A 40-year-old Okada rider identified as Ezekiel told this reporter that these missing Okada riders are likely victims of robbery.
According to Ezekiel, some young people armed with knives or weapons would ask Okada riders to take them to somewhere quiet, far just to hijack their motorcycles
Ezekiel while noting that such sad incident happens very early in the morning or at nightfall further stated that they focus more on new or fairly used motorcycles.
‘They firstly gather their information. They find ways to lure Okada riders and hijack their motorcycles. They injure them or kill any Okada rider that fights back’, he added.
CSP Martins, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ayeso via a telephone conversation with WITHIN NIGERIA confirmed that the relatives of one Ojo Oluwadare truly reported the incident to the police on Monday, 7th November.
‘We have informed all divisional offices within the state about the sudden disappearance. we have also forwarded his picture to necessary quarters. We believe that he would be found’, he told this reporter.
CSP Martins added that the police have not effected any arrest and the matter is still under investigation.
Another top police officer told WITHIN NIGERIA that there are similar cases of sudden disappearance of Okada riders within the Ilesa metropolis and environs.
“The incessant hijacking of new or fairly used motorcycles is now alarming. Okada riders should avoid taking people to strange places and ensure to always work at daylight. These are necessary safety procedures they must consider at the moment”
“We can only track a missing Okada rider if he has a phone with him. Even if they threw it away, we would still be able to track down his last location but most victims dropped their phones at home, the top police officer added.
A 42-year-old Okada rider who prefers to be anonymous told this reporter that two dead bodies of Okada riders have been found but they were not complete i.e some body parts like head and private parts were missing.
The man while attributing the evil acts to ritualists and internet fraudsters said only greedy Okada riders can be their victims.
‘When yahoo Boys give you N1000 as fee for a service that worth N200 and ask you to drop them at desired locations with higher amounts, be prepared to be used as sacrifices one day’, says a rather sad man.
The man also added that most Okada riders are now errand boys of yahoo Boys who are younger in age.
These yahoo Boys give them money to lure and enslave them. They raise them as chickens and roost them at the end. When a bikeman takes yahoo boys every where at every time, he should know that he can be used anytime, he added.