On February 14, Valentine’s Day, what should have been an ordinary afternoon walk turned into a life-altering catastrophe.

Two pedestrians were struck from behind by an overspeeding delivery motorcycle on a Lagos street.

A Blood Red Valentine

On February 14, Valentine’s Day, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Purity Adheke were violently struck by a delivery motorcycle while walking near Reddington Hospital on Isaac John Street.

The rider was rammed into them from behind, slamming Ekpeki to the ground and throwing Adheke violently to the pavement, leaving them with life-altering injuries.

On the night of the accident, Ekpeki’s blood pressure spiked above 170/120, highlighting the extreme physical trauma he experienced.

Ekpeki is Africa’s most decorated speculative fiction writer-editor-publisher, having won and been shortlisted for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy and NAACP Image awards, and with a novel Birth of Orisha scheduled for release in 2027. Purity is a fashion designer, nurse, and fitness guru, just beginning to expand her professional influence. Their promising futures were disrupted by reckless riding, absence of safety frameworks, and disregard for speed limits on Nigerian roads.

For further reporting and details, see the article by Sahara Reporters:

https://saharareporters.com/2026/03/05/lagos-company-rider-knocks-down-two-pedestrians-victim-accuses-firm-negligence-threats#

The Constant Tragedy

Across Lagos and other Nigerian cities, delivery motorcycles have become a constant menace.

They bring convenience, but they also bring risk. Poorly regulated motorcycles, lack of safety frameworks, weak enforcement of speed limits, and slow accident-response systems have made many roads increasingly dangerous. The same riders delivering meals and packages are increasingly seen as the grim reapers of Nigerian roads, a modern fourth horseman riding through traffic, delivering death,  damage and doom, alongside food.

A Pattern of Disposable Brilliance

This incident is not an isolated case of "bad luck"; it is the latest chapter in a recurring nightmare for Nigeria’s intellectual and creative class. Almost exactly one year ago, in March 2025, the tech community was devastated by the death of Adetunji “Teejay” Opayele, the co-founder and CTO of Bumpa.

Teejay, a visionary engineer and 32-year-old innovator, was struck by a reckless driver on Ozumba Mbadiwe Road. The parallels are haunting: while Teejay lay unconscious but still breathing, the driver, a healthcare professional reportedly refused to take him to the hospital, allegedly stating she "didn't want blood to stain her car." Much like the supervisor at the Ekpeki/Adheke scene who prioritised a bike's registration over bleeding pedestrians, the driver in Teejay’s case prioritised her upholstery over a human life. In both instances, the victims were left for over an hour without the urgent medical intervention that could have changed the outcome. Teejay’s family and over 80,000 Nigerians eventually had to petition the government just to ensure the perpetrator was charged with manslaughter rather than a minor "reckless driving" fine.

When a society allows its innovators, writers, and entrepreneurs to be mowed down, and then permits corporations and individuals to treat the aftermath with bureaucratic indifference, it sends a clear message: in the pursuit of profit and convenience, your life is disposable.

For more on Teejay’s story and the fight for systemic justice, see:

Get Teejay Justice - Change.org Petition

 

After the accident, when a supervisor connected to Chowdeck arrived, his attention was on the motorcycle rather than the injured pedestrians. After attending to the bike, the supervisor reportedly left Ekpeki and Adheke on the roadside, claiming the motorcycle needed to be removed quickly because it was not properly registered.

A heated argument reportedly followed when Ekpeki and bystanders insisted on urgent medical assistance. During this confrontation, the supervisor threatened Ekpeki before leaving the scene without arranging proper care.

Subsequent checks also revealed troubling inconsistencies: the rider’s profile on the Chowdeck platform listed him as equipped for bicycle use for short-distance deliveries, not a motorcycle. Furthermore, the license number displayed on the motorcycle is associated with a red motorcycle, while the bike involved in the crash was black or grey.

These discrepancies raise broader questions about oversight, vehicle verification, rider training, and company accountability.

After the collision, both victims were left on the roadside for hours before receiving timely medical treatment, which was only arranged after the unrelenting insistence of Ekpeki’s lawyer, Oladoja Oluwo. In total, around nine hours passed before they were taken to a hospital. Doctors later confirmed that Ekpeki’s injury could have resulted in permanent paralysis or lifelong disability.

Chowdeck’s Response

Following the accident, Ekpeki’s damaged phone and iPad were collected by Chowdeck representatives, who initially said they would repair them.

Weeks later, the company’s lawyers refused to repair the devices unless Ekpeki agreed not to pursue a settlement. They also claimed to be unaware of his medical condition, despite treatment occurring at a hospital connected to the incident. The company stated that ₦1.5 million had been spent on Ekpeki’s care, when in truth, they spent little over three hundred thousand naira. 

These actions highlight a controversial and problematic response, raising urgent questions about accountability by companies whose operations directly harm the public.

Why This Matters

This incident is not just about one crash. It exposes systemic issues in Nigeria’s delivery industry, including:

• Absence of proper safety frameworks for motorcycle riders

• Poor enforcement of speed limits for riders

• Lack of general liability insurance for logistics companies that manage fleets of motorcycles

• Inadequate training modules for riders

• Insufficient company compliance with laws and accountability when accidents occur

Whether the rider works for Chowdeck or any other delivery platform, the public deserves confidence that companies are verifying riders, properly training them, and responding responsibly when accidents occur.

When questions arise about vehicle registration, rider verification, or treatment of injured pedestrians, those questions must be answered.

International Accountability

Chowdeck is a Y Combinator-backed startup. And because Chowdeck operates through a corporate structure connected to the United States and has received international investment through its parent company, Chowdeck Logistics Inc., how incidents like this are handled is not just a Nigerian concern.

Companies benefiting from global capital should be accountable to international standards of transparency, safety, and responsibility.

Supporters in the United States and other countries can help by contacting their elected representatives and asking them to investigate operations abroad where public safety is compromised.

 

What We Are Asking For

We call on Chowdeck and its international parent company, Chowdeck Logistics Inc., as well as other delivery platforms operating in Nigeria, to:

• Take responsibility for accidents involving riders on their platforms

• Provide fair compensation for injuries, medical costs, lost income, and damaged property

• Return or repair damaged property without requiring victims to waive legal rights

• Publicly clarify policies regarding rider insurance and accident response

• Ensure riders are properly registered, trained, and insured

We also call on regulators and the public to demand broader systemic reforms, including enforcement of speed limits, safety frameworks, general liability insurance for fleet management, and comprehensive training modules for motorcycle riders.

 

Formal Petition and Evidence

A formal regulatory petition detailing the accident, the injuries sustained, and the conduct of the company involved has already been submitted to Nigerian authorities, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

The petition includes video evidence from the scene, medical reports, witness testimony, and legal correspondence related to the incident.

Regulatory authorities home and abroad are being asked to review this evidence and investigate whether delivery platforms operating on Nigerian roads are complying with vehicle registration laws, rider safety requirements, and their duty of care to the public.

What You Can Do

If you believe companies and delivery riders operating on Nigerian roads must be accountable for public safety, you can help by:

• Signing this petition

• Sharing this story so it cannot be ignored

• Contacting Nigerian regulatory authorities and asking them to investigate this incident and the broader safety practices of delivery platforms. Relevant authorities include the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS).

• Calling for investigations into:

- the use of unregistered motorcycles in commercial delivery fleets

- the absence of mandatory rider insurance

- failures in accident-response protocols when riders injure pedestrians

- inconsistencies in vehicle registration and rider verification on delivery platforms

• Asking regulators to require:

- registration and roadworthiness verification for all delivery motorcycles

- mandatory insurance coverage for riders operating on delivery platforms

- enforceable speed limits and monitoring for delivery riders

- standardised rider training and safety certification programs

- clear emergency response protocols when delivery riders cause accidents

• Supporting legal accountability, including potential class action litigation on behalf of victims of negligent delivery riders or unsafe delivery practices involving Chowdeck, its partners, or its parent company Chowdeck Logistics Inc.

• Supporters in the United States can also contact their elected representatives to request oversight of companies with international investment whose operations abroad may endanger public safety.

We are also considering a class action lawsuit. If you have experienced similar incidents with delivery riders or logistics companies, please reach out to us at chowdeckclassactionlawsuit@gmail.com

No one should step out on Valentine’s Day, or any day, and receive a life-altering injury as a delivery instead of the future they were building.