IT was like a scene in a war movie in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday, as members of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) loyal to Abdul-Lateef Akinsola, also known as Tokyo, vehemently resisted the demolition of their secretariat building by the Oyo State government.

A policeman, an unidentified driver of one of the bulldozers drafted for the demolition and two others were reportedly killed in a cross-fire between the policemen and members of the outlawed union. However, the state commissioner of police said no policeman was killed.

The state government, it will be recalled, proscribed the union late last year following violent clashes between members of the rival factions of the transport workers and announced its intention to demolish the secretariat building located at Olomi area in Ibadan.

According to an eyewitness, trouble started around 7.45 a.m. when armed policemen arrived in more than 40 patrol vehicles and four Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to give effect to the order,

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As long as the move not politically motivated, I don't see any reason why do NURTW secretariat should not be relocated from that area. The area that is supposed to be a peaceful residential areal for the resident has become a harbor for criminals who harass the resident indiscriminately and are always thrown into confusion whenever this Union members engages themselves in any fracas which has now become a regular occurrence in that area.