While the parties to the conflict signed a memorandum of understanding, the count loses, let’s say there are 5 victims.
• Police, army, avoid the meeting of stakeholders
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The Lagos state government has read the riot law to members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and the Nigerian Road Transport Employers Association, RTEAN, following incessant violent clashes at the extreme of Mile 2 of the Oshodi-Apapa Highway, where at least five people reportedly lost their lives in the last clash last week.
The chairman of the Lagos State Traffic Management in Apapa stalemate, who is also the Governor’s Special Adviser on Transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, warned that the state government would not hesitate to wield the big stick by suspending their activities if the unions they refuse to allow peace. reign and comply with the laws in force of the state.
Fayinka, in a peace meeting with both parties in Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday, described the fight on Wednesday of last week that claimed at least five lives at Mile-2, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of the state as ‘unfortunate and avoidable’, warning. that, “The state government will not tolerate needless assassinations and lawlessness in the state.”
They are present at the peace meeting; Alhaji AbdulRamanu Amusan, RTEAN Secretary of State, Alhaji Olabode Ogungbade, RTEAN Zonal President, Alhaji Waheed –Alamu, AlhajiRasaki Zulu, Comrade Salami Ismail, Comrade Ojora Sulaimon, NURTW Vice President of State, Comrade Tunhim Raji, Comrade Wasi.
However, the representatives of the Lagos State Police Command and the Armed Forces did not attend the meeting, although they were duly invited.
Fayinka reiterated that as part of efforts to restore peace to the area, the state government has suspended the sale of tickets to truckers in the axis while waiting for the Police report on the investigations of the latest crisis.
Fayinka promised that the Lagos state government, through the Ministry of Transport, will not back down in carrying out the application without fear or favour.
In response to the violence that marred Mile-2 and Amuwo Odofin Axis between RTEAN and NURTW, Amuwo’s division, the Lagos state government had declared that further fighting would lead to the suspension of their operations.
Fayinka claimed that the state government will proceed to deal with the case intrinsically as soon as the Nigerian Police submit the crisis report, noting that the looming problem of multiple levies on truckers by unions around the hub had been the trigger for the dispute and would not be tolerated.
Expressing his disappointment at the unfortunate incident, the Special Adviser warned unions to beware of infiltrators, as this will ruin their reputation and lead to an abrupt end to state government activities, as the safety of lives and property is the first and sacrosanct.
Admitting the assertions of Fayinka, vice president of RTEAN and head of transportation, colleague Adeola Adeyemi, explained that NURTW had breached the agreement previously signed by both parties, stating that their violent insistence on selling the ticket suspended by the state government to truckers registered. under RTEAN it had resulted in the deaths of five members last week.
In defence of the accusation brought against NURTW by RTEAN, the Secretary of the NURTW Branch, Amuwo, Adeyemi, who claimed that two of its members were also killed, T-Boy and another, blamed the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations, COMTUA, due to the crisis that flared in Fatgbem, adding that they were the ones who went to evict the violators of the aforementioned agreement and the violators were handed over to the police.
He also revealed that the retaliatory attack by RTEAN with the intervention of OPMESA, military security agents, also caused casualties that occurred.
Responding to all the explanations, the Special Adviser assured that the necessary measures are being taken to nip the retaliation in the bud, strongly warning that the state government will not hesitate to suspend union activities if they hinder the development and peace of the state.
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
