Workers were forced to trek to work in Calabar on Thursday as commercial motorcycle operators resolved to abandon the roads to avoid arrest by the police following Wednesday�s burning of the Atakpa Police Station.
Findings by our correspondent showed that operators were nowhere to be found anywhere in the city.
The fracas was occasioned by the okada riders� protest against the N13,800 registration fee imposed on them by the state government. The fee was to cover the cost of their vest and crash helmets.
The okada riders said that the money was too much for them and that they would not be able to pay the sum, although the chairman of the state motorcycle licensing authority, Mr Ernest Irek, said on Wednesday night that the operators were actually allowed to make the payment in three installments.
By Thursday afternoon, the policemen were still in every part of the state capital. But in some parts of Calabar South, hoodlums took over the roads, demanding money from motorists before allowing them to drive on the road.
The absence of okada riders from the roads, coupled with the non availability of taxi cabs in most parts of the state capital, made life very difficult for those without personal cars.
Most public and private offices were not opened for business till about 11 a.m.
A security meeting was said to have been held on Wednesday night, with the state Governor, Mr Donald Duke.
But Irek said there was no going back on the decision to register the okada riders. He said he did not know why the riders should be uncomfortable with the decision when they were at liberty to pay instalmentally.
The licencing authority boss said the state government might outrightly ban the activities of okada riders in the state if they refused to register and pay the money.
In an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, the Police Commissioner, Rivers State Command, Alhaji Danlami Yar�Adua, said about 20 people were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the fracas that led to the burning of the police station by unidentified persons.
The police boss also noted that the police might not arrest any okada rider found on the road as long as he did not cause trouble.
But our correspondent learnt on Thursday that the police had been given a marching order to arrest any okada rider found on the road.