Armed police officers frustrate another bikers' siege

Armed police officers in Kumba recently blocked thousands of commercial motorcycle riders from parading the corpse of another accident victim across the city after a similar exercise on July 1 led to a standoff with security forces.

Loaded trucks of soldiers and special police vehicles trailed the removal of the corpse of the bike rider from the Kumba District Hospital Mortuary.

The remains were followed up to the deceased's family compound in Fiango without the usual fanfare the riders are known for.

The Post gathered that the Meme Administration had ordered for strict security measures to avoid the embarrassment of last Friday that brought the city under siege for over five hours.

Other accompanying measures taken included; the release of two other bikes belonging to the riders whose corpses were still at the mortuary.

The release of the bikes ahead of time is meant to prevent the riders from storming the police station for any such exchanges that could disturb the social climate in the metropolis.

Despite the military presence, the riders attempted to branch off at the Amusement Park Complex into other areas of the Town, but failed to overpower the security machinery.

The same measure, The Post learnt, will be used on the day of the removal of the remains of the third victim from the mortuary following the increasing security threats from the riders.

On Friday July 1, thousands of commercial riders abandoned the corpse of their colleague beside the Police Station and raised barricades on the road frustrating traffic in and out of Kumba for several hours.

The action was in reaction to demands from the Meme Legal Department for authentic documents to be produced before the release of a bike belonging to one of the accident victims.

TheState Prosecutor had earlier granted a Restitution Order before later raising objections on grounds of incoherence in the documents submitted.

The bikers fail to listen and promised mayhem if the bike was not released.

After the release of the bike, they still refused quitting the High way, claiming that the National Identity card and mobile phone of the deceased's relative was with the police.

It took an offer of FCFA 150,000 from the CPDM Section President for Meme IA for the protesting riders to quit the road.

The current situation in Kumba is the spill over of a Monday June 27 caterpillar accident in Fiango that led to the deathof four persons and many others injured.