A fracas involving two factions of commercial tricycle operators in the Alimosho area of Lagos State has led to the death of one unidentified person, while two others were injured. It was learnt that the attack allegedly carried out by a faction loyal to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) happened on AIT Road in Alagbado, a Lagos suburb last Sunday. The Nation gathered that one of those responsible for the attack was hit by stray bullets and he died a few minutes later. The two injured tricyclists are Gbenga Adedayo and Ibrahim Elegbee. The fights were earlier recorded in other parts of the council area including Meiran, Egbeda, Ipaja, Mosan-Okunola, Iyana Ipaja, and Abule Egba, where two persons were also allegedly killed last Saturday, while scores were injured.The clashes, it was gathered, followed the decision of a faction of the tricylists association to disengage from its affiliation to NURTW. A source, who asked not to be named blamed the attack on NURTW loyalists who have been terrorising our members in order to forcibly annex their parks. We have reported them to the police and other law enforcement agents because our faction, Tricycle Operators Association of Nigeria(TOAN) is duly registered with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity. An eyewitness who did not want his name in print recalled the incident saying: Armed thugs came from the Yussuf axis off Kollington bus stop along the Lagos-Abeokuta Road to attack the tricyclists and there was pandemonium in this area.They came with guns and cutlass and attacked unsuspecting tricyclists. They fired sporadically and some of the bullets hit one of them who died a few minutes later before men of the Alagbado Police Division restored normalcy. The Lagos State Council of NURTW however dissociated itself from the reported attacks involving tricycle operators in parts of the state. The unions chairman in the state, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede told The Nation on Monday that the state government had revoked the operational approval issued to Tricycle Operators Association of Nigeria (TOAN), adding that the associations continued operation in some parks belonging to NURTW was illegal and could lead to chaos. His explanation was however faulted by a chieftain of the factional association, who asked not to be named.He said: NURTW is not being honest in their explanation which has further accentuated their complicity in the mindless attacks on our members. Many of the parks were allocated to our affiliate units by the communities in which they operate and the local government areas. NURTW cannot claim ownership of parks they did not allocate and cannot force out our members from the parks. A source said the warring transporters had signed an undertaking to maintain peace and harmony pending the resolution of the crisis at the states Ministry of Transportation on Monday.Meanwhile, the Sole Administrator, Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area(LCDA), Hon. Abiodun Agbaje, Commander, Area M Police Command, Idimu, Mr Austine Akika, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and the Divisional Police Officer(DPO), Ipaja Police Division, Mr Busari Okunlola, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) have warned perpetrators of the attacks to desist from fomenting trouble in the council development areas in Alimosho constituency. The warnings were issued at the meetings held by the trio at different times in their various offices with stakeholders in the transportation sector following the outbreak of law and order between the NURTW- led Tricycle Owners and Operators of Nigeria (TOOAN) and Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), which recently disengaged from the union to affiliatewith TUC. At his meeting with the aggrieved parties in his office, ACP Akika warned against any violence over an allegation that the NURTW members were desperate to forcibly take over tricycle parks in Alimosho, asking them to maintain peace until the issue is resolved by the State Ministry of Transportation. Hon. Agbaje told the representatives of NURTW and TOOAN at an emergency meeting held in his office on Wednesday that the state government has zero tolerance for violence and would not tolerate any act that would bring public unrest to his council area and its environ.Similarly on Wednesday during the meeting of Eminent Personality Forum (EPF) which was introduced by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris to further bring the Police and eminent people in their immediate environment together, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ipaja Police Division, Mr. Busari Okunlola also used the forum to sound a note of warning to all stakeholders in the public transportation sector to desist from any act of violence.The spokesperson of Lagos Police Command, Dolapo Badmos, said the feuding transporters had signed an undertaking at the state police command and were warned against further breakdown of law and order. On the issue of transport union unrest, the command have been arresting and charging (sic) to court. The leadership of the command summoned the factional leaders of the unions. They have been made to sign undertaking to maintain peace and any further breakdown (sic), they will be held liable.The post One feared dead, two injured in Lagos tricyclists clashes appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.]]>
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