Following the crisis engulfing the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union in Lagos State, the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu Government has suspended the activities of the union from all parks and garages with immediate effect.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, made this known in a statement late Thursday.

The statement titled, ‘Lagos Suspends Nurtw From Parks’, read, “The Lagos State Government has been watching closely events in the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union. There have been claims and counterclaims over the control of the union.

“The Government has a duty to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Lagosians and visitors. Therefore, there is an urgent need to douse the unnecessary tension generated by the leadership tussle in the NURTW and protect the citizenry from the likely fallout of the situation.

“After considering the provisions of the law, the Government hereby suspends the activities of NURTW, which must cease to operate in all parks and garages in Lagos State.

“The Government will set up a Committee to immediately take control of the parks and garages. Members of the committee will be key stakeholders in the sector.

“The Government’s position is premised on its responsibility to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in all parks and garages in Lagos State.

The PUNCH had reported that the national body of the union on Thursday suspended its Lagos State chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, following weeks of protracted conflict and leadership tussle.

The national body accused Akinsanya of resorting to intimidation, harassment, and assault on the newly-appointed Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Azeez Abiola, aka Istijabah but Akinsanya refuted the claim that he instigated members of the union to assault Abiola.

He, however, noted that the legality of the TOOAN operations in the state is a subject of a suit pending before the National Industrial Court.

Subsequently, the NURTW national body in Abuja on Thursday announced the indefinite suspension of Akinsanya for gross misconduct and directed him to hand over to his deputy.

Hours later, Akinsanya at a press conference at the NURTW Secretariat in the Agege area of the Lagos announced his withdrawal and that of lieutenants from the union.

He also asked Sanwo-Olu to take over the running of all parks and garages in the state till peace returned to the union.

“In view of this and the crisis at hand, Lagos State Government is hereby invited to consider its white paper on Transport Union activities, 2004 section 5C, which states that the Government should take over the management of any garage or motor park where there is a crisis until such is resolved by the consultative committee.


“We hereby call on Lagos State Government to take over the running of the affairs of the Union with the Constitution of a Park Management Committee for Motor Garages and parks in the state, thereby ensuring peace and tranquility, pending the determination of the matter in the interest of the good people of Lagos State,” Akinsanya said earlier on Thursday.

The operations of the NURTW have been despised for years by Lagosians and social commentators. Clad in grimy white tops and green trousers, NURTW operatives locally called agberos are notorious for harassing, intimidating and forcibly collecting levies from commercial bus drivers at parks, garages and bus stops, leading to occasional fights, indecent of the ‘megacity’ aspiration of Lagos.

According to a 2021 report by the International Centre for Investigative Report, the Lagos chapter of NURTW generates about N123.08bn annually, which could service the annual budget of Nasarawa, Niger, and Yobe states put together.

Aside from other extortioners on Lagos roads including corrupt security agents, NURTW operatives are the bane of commercial drivers, with many transporters lamenting that they milk them dry by collecting tolls at every bus stop.

Copyright PUNCH.

Ok na. Without this Union there won't be APC in Lagos State rulling perpetually. This is what people ready to deal with Tinubu recognize and Lagos State government is not unawared.

Come 2023,
Tinubu for president
Oluomo for governor
Agbero for lagos
Suffer for Nigerians

This news just dey give me joy. These guys are complete nuisances. Most delay n hike in tfare are caused by them

Don't be deceived.The national union of road transport workers suspended oluomo from engaging himself with NURTW's activities.Oluomo decided to withdraw NURTW from the national union control and handed the union to Lagos state government.Being a tinubu's political errand boy,the Lagos state NURTW under Lagos state government will be handed over oluomo's control.It is a ploy.
The agbero in white and green will still be at the road beating conductors to give them owo load and chairman.

When I see urchins supporting the tout and justifying rubbish,omo the shock dey baffle me. It's like these urchins,were never in the country or they forget so easily or they are paid..something is wrong

Always beating hardworking suffering conductors and destroying buses ..

princemillla:
This news just dey give me joy. These guys are complete nuisances. Most delay n hike in tfare are caused by them

The MC guy seems to be having his way, as everything appears to be going in his direction.

That's a ploy to finish the union at the centre, because oluomo knew that the union generates most of its incomes from Lagos State, it may be possible he was asking for some percentage from them and they never agreed and he decided to treat their Bleep up.
He intentionally puts sand inside their garri and he will still be taking more money into his own pocket while opening the eyes of the state governor to the kind of money they generate in the union, the governor will start giving him his percentage while the people at the center will lose all from the state.
To him it is a win win situation for him.
Touts and their cunning acts, I detest all of them, oluomo, nurtw bosses and members.

Dont think it has ended there,although the chapter of nurtw may be closed now, but other faction will be raised, the thugs are the tools of our politicians in this society, I pray the good citizens conquer both the thugs and the politicians who use them to inflict sufferings on the poor masses.

princemillla:
This news just dey give me joy. These guys are complete nuisances. Most delay n hike in tfare are caused by them

Tinubu’s instructions

Oluomo will surely have his way, the fight in the union is between 2 political parties, we all know that Oluomo faction is loyal to Apc, while Kunle poky is loyal to Pdp. The state will surely support their supporters and their antagonists.

Rubbish union in this time and age. As if lagos or other Naija cities is the only city with buses

Globad:
Rubbish union in this time and age. As if lagos or other Naija cities is the only city with buses

the funniest thing be say them go just Form another group


Nigeria union of road transport extortions