The King of Emohua Kingdom, His Royal Majesty King Sergeant Chidi-Awuse, has successfully intervened to resolve a face-off between the Obio/Akpor Local Government Chairman, Gift Worlu, and commercial motorcycle operators, leading to the lifting of a ban on okada services along the Choba–Emohua–Ogbakiri axis.
Earlier on Saturday, August 1, 2026, security operatives and local vigilantes moved to enforce the indefinite suspension of commercial motorcycle operations on the East-West Road, following the chairman’s directive.
The ban, which took effect from August 1, 2026, was meant to halt all okada activities across Obio/Akpor.
At Choba junction, riders protested the restriction, blocking the East-West axis and preventing free movement of motorists into and out of Port Harcourt.
The demonstration focused on the boundary area between Emohua communities and Choba, a major route for the operators.
The tense situation attracted the attention of the Emohua Monarch, who is also a former Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.
King Sergeant Chidi-Awuse held discussions with the council chairman and mediated between both parties, resulting in the lifting of the ban specifically on that corridor.
One motorcycle rider, Mr. Augustus Nnamdi, who spoke with journalists, argued that the ban would deprive them of their only means of livelihood, insisting that the council should provide alternative sources of income rather than leave them unemployed.
Another operator, Mr Chinedu Okah, confirmed that the monarch’s intervention prompted the chairman to reverse the restriction along the affected route.
The development has brought relief to commercial motorcyclists who rely on the busy Choba-Emohua-Ogbakiri routes for their daily earnings.
