Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

Transport and commercial activities were on Thursday paralysed in Ado-Ekiti, following a protest by members of the commercial motorcyclists association, popularly called Okada riders in the Ekiti State capital.

The aggrieved riders accused the executives of the union of misappropriation of funds and abuse of power.

The union members who barricaded some streets and major junctions in the town called for the remover of the current executives of the association, over what they described as alleged corruption, high-handedness, abuse of power, attack on colleagues and misappropriation of fund.

The riders urged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to dissolve the current executives of the union and take over the runnings of the association.

 The leaders of the union, they alleged had charged them heavily for ticket on daily basis.

They also complained that the money was mismanaged, adding that the executives recruited some miscreants who are in the habit of abusing riders and beating them up.

According to them, a commercial motorcyclist was pushed while on motion by one of the miscreants, while he and his passenger eventually fell and sustained serious injuries.

The duo were said to be admitted in an undisclosed health facility in the town.

The riders after blocking the major roads in the town were later dispersed by a team of armed policemen state Police Command.

Efforts by our correspondent to speak with some leaders of the Riders association proved abortive.

The men  sighted at the popular Ijigbo roundabout in the town where they were hiding from possible reprisal  declined comment.