Five officials of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) were injured on Monday during a violent confrontation with commercial motorcycle riders at Soka Junction in Oluyole Local Government Area. Several agency-operated vehicles were also damaged in the clash.
The incident occurred as OYRTMA personnel were enforcing the state’s QR-coded jacket policy for commercial motorcyclists. Eyewitnesses reported that the officials attempted to engage riders who were not complying with the regulation, prompting resistance and aggression from the group. Stones and wooden planks were reportedly hurled at the enforcement team, with one officer struck in the chest while others sustained injuries of varying severity.
The clash disrupted traffic in the area and raised renewed concerns about resistance to the regulatory exercise, which the state government introduced in June 2025 to curb criminal activities by unregistered “Okada” riders. The initiative mandates that all commercial motorcyclists operate wearing jackets embedded with a QR code to ensure proper identification and accountability.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, OYRTMA Chairman Adekoya Adesagba condemned the attack, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable. In a statement issued through the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, Adesagba emphasized that the QR jacket policy is crucial for improving public safety, deterring crime, and creating a reliable identification system for riders.
Adesagba assured that enforcement would continue and promised that those responsible for the attack would be identified and prosecuted. He also called on transport unions, community leaders, and other stakeholders to support compliance efforts. Security agencies have been notified, and investigations into the incident are ongoing, with three injured personnel currently hospitalised and others treated for minor injuries.
