Soldiers attack okada riders

There was pandemonium in Okitipupa community in Ondo State yesterday when soldiers attached to the 19 Battalion, Niquora Barracks, Okitipupa allegedly attacked residents over a service riffle that was missing at a beer parlour on New Year Day. The soldier ,it was gathered, left his duty post, a check-point close to the barracks and went to a local drinking joint being patronised mostly by commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) and drivers after taking some bottles of beer, abandonded his service rifle and went away. The officer came back some minutes later for his gun but the operator of the place told him that he did not come with a gun. The development forced the soldier to mobilise his colleagues the following morning to the place. The soldiers were said to have gone wild and started arresting people mostly the okada operators and passers-by. The military men also invaded the motorpark near the beer parlour where several drivers and passengers were allegedly harrassed. As the news of the attacks spread, shops owners hurriedly shut their doors to avoid possible attack. The soldiers later found the missing rifle inside an abandoned vehicle parked close to the check-point. Daily Sun learnt that over 50 motorcycles were allegedly impounded by the soldiers while some people, especially the okada operators and commercial drivers, were allegedly arrested and detained. Efforts to speak with the Commanding Officer of the barracks failed as soldiers prevented reporters from entering. The NURTW Okitipupa branch described the development as unfortunate, saying the soldiers threw decorum to the wind and allegedly started harrassing and arresting people especially innocent passengers and drivers. The Degun of Idepe, Oba Michael Adetoye, told newsmen that he had intervened and appealed to all parties involved to cease fire. The monarch called for the release of those arrested since the rifle had been recovered