Armed ViolenceNews

Southwest Nigerian Governor Suspends Road Workers’ Union After Violent Clash

Ondo State Governor, Southwest Nigeria, has been forced to collapse transport union activities in the state, following violence occasioned by them in the state.

Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria, on Wednesday, suspended all activities of a road workers’ union across the state, following a violent clash between factions of the union.

HumAngle reported that the fracas that happened between factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on Tuesday, March 9, left one person dead and three injured in Akure, the state capital.

Warring members went after one anotherĀ  with machetes and other weaponsĀ  at the Oja Oba area of the state capital. Vehicles were also vandalised in the clash, while traders, and commuters scampered for safety.

The Tuesday clash followed barely 48 hours after the road workers had fought in the Owode area of Akure, halting business activities, causing traffic congestion and injuring many people.

In reaction to the unrest, the government on Wednesday, ordered the immediate vacation of NURTW members from all motor parks across the state, according to a statement by Doyin Odebowale, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Akeredolu on Special Duties and Strategy.

Odebowale explained that the decision was to foster peace by allowing the factions to meet and settle their differences.

History of violence

The NURTW has often come under spotlight for violence due to its amorphous structure in the Southwest region.

The union generates money on the street from extorting bus drivers, commercial motorcycle drivers, and tricycle drivers in the state, with its membership drawn from people who are not drivers, but rather motor park attendants.

The generated money is usually disbursed into union leadersā€™ pockets. This has often led to a supremacy war between members and commercial drivers, with record violent clashes leading to deaths in the state.

In Oyo State, another Southwestern State, Seyi Makinde, the governor of the state banned NURTW ā€œto maintain peace and tranquillity in the state in order to engender commercial and human developmentā€ following ā€œalleged security breaches and factional clashes of the union member in some areas of Ibadan, the state capital.ā€

Summary not available.


Support Our Journalism

There are millions of ordinary people affected by conflict in Africa whose stories are missing in the mainstream media. HumAngle is determined to tell those challenging and under-reported stories, hoping that the people impacted by these conflicts will find the safety and security they deserve.

To ensure that we continue to provide public service coverage, we have a small favour to ask you. We want you to be part of our journalistic endeavour by contributing a token to us.

Your donation will further promote a robust, free, and independent media.

Donate Here

Of course, we want our exclusive stories to reach as many people as possible and would appreciate it if you republish them. We only ask that you properly attribute to HumAngle, generally including the author's name, a link to the publication and a line of acknowledgement. Contact us for enquiries or requests.

Contact Us

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Translate Ā»