The driver of a bullion van attached to one of the new generation banks in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Thursday killed a commercial motorcyclist.
The motorcyclist has been identified as Gbenga Okesola.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the incident occurred in front of the popular Ogun Property Investment Company building at Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta around 1pm.
The incident led to protest by other commercial motorcyclists, who took control of the area, vandalised property and inflicted injuries on passers-by.
The development resulted in pandemonium as people scampered to safety with eateries and other business centres hurriedly closed while the confusion lasted.
It took the intervention of the police who stormed the scene about an hour later to restore law and order.
Muyiwa Adejobi, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Police Command, confirmed the incident to journalists at a news briefing.
Adejobi, who expressed regret over the incident, however condemned the commercial motorcyclists for “taking laws into their hands”.
He said the police had to apply minimum force as prescribed by law to enable them disperse the “violent protesters” to enable them restore peace to the area.
Adejobi said the remains of the dead motorcyclist had been evacuated to an undisclosed morgue in the town.
He said the driver of the bullion van and some other protesters were arrested while the van was recovered by the police.
The police spokesperson, who sympathised with the family of the deceased, said the police had commenced investigations into the case.