Clashes: Lagos govt suspends NURTW in Idumota, others indefinitely

HANDING OVER — From left: Fayode Adegoke, DCP Panti; new Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi; outgoing commissioner, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, with Ahmed Katagora, DCP Operations, Lagos, during the handing over ceremony, in Lagos.

FAREWELL: Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu flanked by the immediate past Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Hakeem Odumosu (right) and his wife (left), during a Farewell/Pull-out Parade in his honour at Police College, Ikeja, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.  Photos: Vanguard.

•We’ll suspend operations in Lagos — National body

•Police arrest petitioner

Lagos State Government, has suspended activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, at Eyin-Eyo, Church Street, and Idumota Bridge indefinitely, following incessant and recent violence in those areas.

This came as the national leadership of the union, threatened to impose an indefinite suspension on NURTW activities in Lagos State.

Meanwhile, a member of the drivers’ union, identified as Okoro, whose petition to the Police led to the detention of Kunle Poly and Mustapha Sego, has been detained at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, who announced the suspension, stated this at a stakeholders' meeting comprising NURTW, Central Business District CBD, and Lagos State Market Women Association (Iya Oloja General and Iya Oloja of Lagos Island) held at Alausa, Ikeja.

He said the suspension was aimed at curbing the crisis often caused by activities of transport union members.

To prevent further acts of violence at Idumota, Fayinka stated that the Lagos State Parks Monitoring Authority will resume work at Eyin-Eyo.

Fayinka noted that the Rapid Response Squad, RRS has been directed to deploy Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, on Idumota Bridge to deter motorists from driving against traffic in compliance with traffic rules and regulations and to enforce the suspension of the NURTW within the axis and simultaneously flush out the Oju Opake boys lurking along Plaza around Church Street axis.

Also suspended are the activities of the transport union at Church Street and John Street particularly Keke Marwa and Mini Buses (Korope). 

Fayinkaa, who said the RRS, in collaboration with the State Police Command, will ensure the safety of lives in the area, said: “Security operatives in the state are, hereby, put on red alert to ensure the safety and security of lives and property in Lagos Island and environs.”

 We’ll suspend operations in Lagos — Nt'l body

Also reacting to the recent fracas by warring NURTW members, the national leadership of the Union, yesterday, threatened to impose an indefinite suspension on NURTW activities in Lagos State.

President of the union, Mr Tajudeen Baruwa, said the suspension is imminent as there is currently unrest by NURTW members in Lagos Island, which led to the loss of lives and paralysis of economic activities in the area.

The NURTW President, in a statement, frowned at the killings and attacks in the Idumota axis, just as he apologised to members of the public and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over the incident. 

Baruwa said: “We want to assure you that NURTW is not in support of such conduct and the ugly incident that occurred at Idumota axis of Lagos Island and we are disassociating the body from any act that is capable of promoting spilling of blood and paralysing businesses as witnessed a few days ago in Lagos.

“In ensuring that appropriate actions are being taken to end such conduct going forward, the union will be working with the Lagos State Government, security agencies, and other stakeholders to investigate, as well as go after persons or groups that are behind this re-occurring barbaric display that led to the loss of lives and several properties in the community.

“The NURTW has followed this incident that brought Lagos Island to a chaotic situation, posing danger to lives and properties and grounding business activities in the area. We, hereby, assure Lagosians, as the national body of NURTW, that something will be done to end such conduct. We cannot continue this way, putting a bad image on the entirety of the union, this is unacceptable.

“The union is tendering its unreserved apology to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and Lagosians over inconvenience the ugly incident may have caused the state, its law-abiding people and businesses that suffered the unrest. We commend the state government on the quick intervention that brought calm to the community and the body is assuring the government that all erring members who took to violence instead of peace will not go unpunished.

“The state’s council executives and entire members of the union should bear in mind that notice of further action will be communicated upon conclusion by the apex body of the union.”

 Police arrest petitioner

Meanwhile, a member of the NURTW, identified as Okoro, who petitioned the Police, has been detained at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan.

As at press time, reasons for his detention were not clear as Police sources only informed that it was part of the ongoing investigation into last week’s clash.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the Police conducted a raid on some parts of Lagos Island on Monday night in search of those directly involved in last week’s mayhem. 

Vanguard also gathered that some of the suspects have disappeared when they got wind of the arrest of their leaders, Kunle Poly and Mustapha Sego.

Culled from Vanguard