Angry youths on Wednesday protested and shut down Akure in Ondo State following the death of an unnamed Okada rider allegedly knocked down by a vehicle belonging to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

It was learnt that trouble started on Tuesday when a patrol vehicle of the NSCDC allegedly knocked down the motorcycle rider.

It was further learnt that the Okada rider later died in the hospital while two others who also sustained serious injuries yesterday have been discharged.

The development was said to have led to a protest by the deceased family members and motorcyclist colleagues till Wednesday’s evening.

It was further learnt that during the protest, a sister to the late Okada rider (yet to be identified as at press time) was allegedly shot dead at Oja-Oba area of the state capital.

This latest development was said to have led to violent protest that culminated into burning of tyres on the popular Oba Adesida road while the road to the palace of the Deji of Akure was also blocked.

Shop owners quickly closed their shops as free-flow of traffic was disrupted for hours in the city.

The protesters, including women and commercial motorcyclists, also hijacked one of the state taskforce vehicles which they used to convey the two corpses to governor’s office at Alagbaka area of Akure.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC in the state, Mr Oladipo Samuel, said the Civil Defence officer who killed the Okada rider yesterday was from its FCT Command.

He, however, denied that officers of the corps killed the sister of the Okada rider who was said to have been shot dead on Wednesday during protest.

As at the time of filing this report, security operatives have been patrolling the state capital while those injured were still receiving medical treatment at the Ondo state Specialists Hospital in Akure.

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report

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