Many Sustain Serious Injuries As Transport Union Members Fight For Control Of Motor Parks In Ondo

Details have it

Members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the rival National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ondo state are in conflict over the control of motor parks in the state, especially Akure, the state capital.

No fewer than 10 members of the association were on wednesday evening said to havesustained serious injuries during the clash at their motor park along Oba Adesida road, Akure.

It was also gathered that properties belonging to the association and some personal belongings were destroyed during the clash.
The state chairman of RTEAN, Mr. Williams Adepoju alleged that the state Commissioner for Transport Mr Nicholas Tofowomo led some thugs to the motor parks to foment trouble.
He said the Commissioner has not hidden his hatred for the RTEAN and was always seeking ways to frustrate members of the RTEAN in the state.

He explained that “on the fateful day the commissioner led some leaders of the state branch NURTW and some suspected thugs to some parks on Adesida road and allegedly ordered them (thugs) to be destroying the vehicles that belong to RTEAN members only.”

He said “last Friday we wrote to the security agents and the state government that NURTW wanted to attack us but they did not do anything to it, what we saw on Tuesday night was that Tofowomo came to our parks in Akure and Ondo at about 11pm in company of some NURTW leaders in the state and thugs. He said we don’t have the right to be operating in the town.”

“It was in his presence that the NURTW thugs started matcheting our members and destroying their vehicles but we are law abiding people and we don’t want to fight back, that is why we are calling on the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to call Tofowomo to order. He should allow us to operate because there is freedom of association in Nigeria and our members have the choice under the law not to join the NURTW.”

The commissioner could not be reached on phone and was not also in his office.

However, the state chairman of NURTW, Mr. Ariyo Adetula denied the allegation, saying his members were not behind the attack againstmembers of the RTEAN.

thenation