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Tag: NURTW

  • 10 injured in Ibadan NURTW clash

    10 injured in Ibadan NURTW clash

    Ten people were injured at the weekend in a free-for-all among rival members of transport workers at Agbeni, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    The former Chairman, Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (Tokyo), escaped unhurt in an attack said to have been targeted at him.

    Akinsola, who accused the incumbent Chairman, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (Fele) of masterminding the botched attempt on his life, was rescued by a team of riot policemen.

    Oyerinde denied the allegation. He told this reporter on phone yesterday that those Tokyo mentioned were at the second Ramadan lecture of Alhaji Arisekola-Alao at the NTA Ibadan when the incident happened.

    He urged the police to conduct investigate the matter.

    “We have met Alhaji Tokyo on several occasions and we have never attacked him. We are not a violent union again. We will continue to maintain the peace in the state,” Oyerinde said.

    Akinsola, with some of his supporters, was at Sheikh Haruna Suara, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland’s residence to honour an invitation when the alleged attempt was made on his life.

    He was whisked away from the Chief Imam’s residence in an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) on the intervention of the Oyo State Police Command.

    Akinsola said: “I was at the Chief Imam of Ibadan’s residence to honour his invitation with some of my supporters when they attempted to kill me. My supporters were attacked while I was being attended to by the Imam in his house at Agbeni area of Ibadan.

    “Thank God that my supporters were outside when I was inside with the Imam, maybe I would have been dead now.”

    Among Tokyo’s supporters who were injured are Bashiru Saheed, Agboola Rasak, Liadi Akande, Rilwan Akinsola and Alani Adaramola.

    Eyewitnesses account revealed that no fewer than 20 suspected thugs unleashed the terror.

    They said the suspected thugs arrived at the scene of the incident with several dangerous weapons.

    Oyerinde said: “We appeal to the state government to call him to order so as not to plunge the union into another avoidable bloodletting of the past.”

    The Public Relations Officers (PPRO), DSP Olabisi Clet-Ilobanafor, confirmed the incident.

    She told reporters: “The command dispatched combined police teams and an Armed Personnel Carrier to the scene of the incident to quell the violence and rescue Akinsola.

    “We are yet to make arrests because the place was very rowdy and we have to stop that first and later make arrests based on identification by the witness. We have advised those injured to go for treatment and later come back help us in our investigations at tracking down the culprits. We will get them and make them face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrents to others in the act.”

  • Fashola meets with drivers

    Fashola meets with drivers

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday met with the leadership of the state branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on ways of ensuring security at the various motor parks and roads.

    The Governor, who spoke at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja said the meeting became necessary because of some developments at the last Security Council meeting.

    He said while it is the primary responsibility of government to ensure the protection of life and property, government alone cannot carry it out, as it requires the support of the populace to make the state safe and accident-free for the people is why everybody must be involved in the process.

    He, however, said the task would only be halfway done if government performs its task of protecting life and property, while the citizens themselves must be up and doing in terms of securing themselves and their immediate environment.

    The meeting was attended by members of the Executive Council including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Tunde Sobulo, Assistant Director of Operations at the Department of State Security (DSS), Chairman of the NURTW, Mr Tajudeen Agbede and leaders of the union.

     

  • Oyo NURTW chief Auxiliary charged with murder

    Oyo NURTW chief Auxiliary charged with murder

    •Counsel: it’s politically motivated

    A popular motor union leader Mukaila Lamidi: (aka Auxiliary) was yesterday arraigned before an Ibadan Magistrate’s Court at Oyo State for alleged murder.

    Auxiliary a factional leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State, was arrested last month with fire arms.

    Lamidi and former NURTW Chairman Lateef Oloruntoki (a.k.a. Tokyo) have been on the police wanted list since June 4, 2011. A N500,000 bounty placed was on their heads, for the alleged murder of the National President of the Nigeria Medical Students Association, Bala Usman Shanono of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in Kaduna State and others.

    The late Shanono and some other travellers were killed at Iwo Road in Ibadan during a clash between Auxiliary’s and Tokyo’s factions.

    Many others were injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

    Auxiliary’s counsel, Olumuyiwa Fatiregun, said his client’s arrest and arraignment were politically motivated to keep him out of circulation as the 2015 general elections approach.

    Fatiregun said: “It is an attempt by the government of the day to frustrate him. He has been in detention for the past seven weeks. There is no prima facie case against him. They are just holding him there to keep him out of circulation.”

    Auxiliary was arraigned on a two-count charge.

    The charge reads: “That you Auxiliary, with others at large, on March 2, 2014, at about 2210 hrs, at Mustard Filling Station, Iwo Road, Ibadan Magisterial District, did conspire with others at large to commit felony to wit; murder and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol.11 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

    “That you, Mukaila Lamidi ‘M’ (a.k.a Auxiliary), and others at large on the same date, time, place and at the aforementioned Magisterial District did cause the death of one Adekunle Oladipupo ‘M’ by shooting him with a gun and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.”

    Magistrate O. K. Omotoshoremanded Auxiliary at Agodi Prison and adjourned the case till June 18

     

  • Police recover seven guns from Oyo NURTW chieftain

    Police recover seven guns from Oyo NURTW chieftain

    •Auxiliary: I bought them to protect myself   •Ten ‘fake soldiers’ held 

    The Lagos State Police Command has paraded a factional leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, a.k.a. Auxiliary, for alleged stockpiling of arms and ammunition.

    One AK 47 rifle, one 9mm pistol, five Automatic Pump Action rifles and assorted ammunition were recovered from Lamidi.

    Lamidi said he bought them from Abdulazeez Amao to protect himself.

    He said: “I bought the AK 47 for N350,000 and the pistol, N350,000. I bought them to protect myself because there was a time assassins were after me. I do not rob with them. I know where this victimisation is coming from.

    “The All Progressives Congress (APC) wants to rope me because I am in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They asked me to join them and because I refused, they decided to put me in trouble. I am a strong member of the PDP and I do not regret it.”

    Police Commissioner Umar Manko said “Sequel to the arrest of a notorious illegal arms dealer, Abdulazeez Amao, who smuggled AK 47 rifles from Mali and Burkina Faso to Nigeria on March 10, and the recovery of 10 AK 47 rifles, Amao confessed that Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, the former chairman of the Oyo State NURTW, bought one AK47 rifle and one English pistol from him.

    “Consequently, I directed the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Abba Kyari, to go after Lamidi. Two SARS Lagos decoy teams were briefed and deployed to Oyo State with extensive GSM data obtained from Lamidi’s phone number. After three days of diligent follow up, Lamidi was arrested at Olodo in Ibadan on May 10 at about 2:30am while driving in his ash colour Nissan Quest space bus.

    “He confessed to have given his AK 47 rifle to one Tirimisiyu Olowoposi in Ibadan. Efforts to arrest Timirisiyu proved abortive as he is already aware of Lamidi’s arrest. Kyari and his men are working to arrest him soonest.”

    Ten suspected fake soldiers were also paraded.

    One of the suspects, John Musa, who allegedly operates in FESTAC with his gang, said he stole the military uniform in a commercial bus.

    Musa said: “I escort vehicles carry goods so that they would not be harassed by policemen and NURTW members. I am paid N3,500 per day for the job. I never knew I would be caught. A soldier at Ojo Barracks exposed me and handed me over to the military police, who handed me over to the Commander of Area E police Command.”

    Manko warned criminals to stay off the state.

  • Police arrest wanted Oyo NURTW chief, Auxilliary

    Police arrest wanted Oyo NURTW chief, Auxilliary

    The former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State branch, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi (aka Auxiliary), who was declared wanted in 2010 by the Oyo State Police Command has been arrested.

    The Nation learnt that Auxiliary was arrested early Saturday morning around his Olodo, Ibadan residence by policemen from Lagos State.

    He was reportedly whisked to Lagos without contacting the Oyo State Police Command about the operation.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Mrs. Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed to newsmen that the command was not aware of the arrest.

    “The Oyo State Police Command is not aware of the arrest. We don’t have that information,” the state police spokesperson said.

    It would be recalled that the   price was placed on Auxiliary for anyone who could provide information that could lead to his arrest following a surge of violence visited on the state by Auxiliary and his rivals in the NURTW before the 2011 general elections.

    Auxiliary along with his arch rival, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (aka Tokyo), were  declared wanted following the bloody gun attack on many innocent travellers at the Iwo Road, Ibadan motor garage on June 4, 2011.

    When the news of arrest of Lamidi became public knowledge, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and High Chief of Ibadanland, Senator Lekan Balogun, remarked that the arrest was political.

    He further alleged that Lamidi’s arrest was masterminded by the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi the state police commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa and a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Confirming the arrest, Balogun said, “Auxiliary was picked up early this morning at his Olodo residential area in Ibadan. He was immediately driven away to Ikeja in Lagos. But why Ikeja? Don’t we have SARS in Oyo State? It is the connivance of the APC leader, Ajimobi and the Oyo State Police Commissioner ahead next year’s elections.

    “They see him as a threat and that is why they want to get him out of circulation. The man is sick and is likely to die in police custody if his case is not addressed on time. His NURTW supporters had been driven away from many motor garages.

    “Meanwhile, Auxiliary and Tokyo had once been taken to the Inspector General of Police in Abuja by Oloye Jumoke Akinjide (FCT Minister) and they were later set free. Why the arrest now and why is the Oyo State Police Command not aware of Auxiliary’s arrest?” Balogun asked.

    However, in his response, Governor Ajimobi described the allegation by Senator Balogun as incoherent and baseless.

    The media aide to Ajimobi, Dr. Festus Adebayo, who spoke on behalf of his boss, said, “It doesn’t make sense. In fact, we don’t want to join issues with Senator Balogun.”

     

  • NURTW calls for Ondo commissioner’s sack

    NURTW calls for Ondo commissioner’s sack

    Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ondo State are demanding the sack of the Commissioner for Transport, Nicholas Tofowomo.

    The drivers, who marched yesterday from the popular Oba Adesida Road to the Governor’s Office, accused the commissioner of bias in the allocation of motor parks to road transport unions.

    They queried the rationale behind the allocation of parks to members of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

    Akure Taxi Drivers Union Chairman Ojo said it was wrong for the commissioner to give preference to RTEAN members, “who are no longer in operation in the country”.

    The protest, which lasted for one hour, was cut short by security operatives, who ordered the drivers to leave the Governor’s Office. Tofowomo described the allegations as “baseless”.

    He told reporters that the government had a right to allocate any park to any registered union.

  • NURTW dissolves branch exco

    NURTW dissolves branch exco

    The Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, has dissolved the leadership of its units and branches under Alimosho Branch ‘F’ under Tolani Adedayo.

    The development followed the breakdown of law and order in the area, leading to destruction vehicles.

    A free-for-all broke out when some members of the branch’s executive engaged some residents in supremacy battle. Policemen, Agbede said, had been drafted to restore peace and order.

    The NURTW boss said he was disappointed that the Branch ‘F’ executive members could flout his directive on maintenance of peace and order at motor parks.

    “I have been warning my members on the need to be law-abiding. I’m really disappointed that despite my warning, the branch chairman and his boys engaged in violent activities. A seven-man committee headed by Micheal Odugunle to restore peace in the area has been appointed,” Agbede said.

  • Woman ‘stabs’ driver to death in Ondo

    Woman ‘stabs’ driver to death in Ondo

    The Deputy Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ikare branch, Ondo State, simply called Felix (31), has been allegedly stabbed to death by a woman suspected to be his girl friend, Fasilat.

    Sources said the late Felix took Fasilat to a guest house, where they had a disagreement.

    It was learnt that Felix phoned a friend and informed him that he was having problems with Fasilat.

    He was said to have told his friend to meet him at a hospital close to the guest house.

    When the friend got to the hospital, he met Felix dead.

    It was learnt that the deceased was stabbed with a broken bottle and had bite marks on his body.

    Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said he had not been properly briefed on the incident.

    A source at the Ikare Police Division said Fasilat had been arrested and appeared to have been under the influence of drugs.

    It was learnt that Fasilat claimed the late Felix wanted to rape her.

     

  • NURTW seeks more time on drivers’ documentation

    The Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, has called on the government to give drivers and conductors more time to comply with its directive on documentation.

    Last week, the government described compliance to the directive as poor.

    Under the exercise, commercial vehicle owners are to register at the 21 Vehicle Inspection Offices (VIO) and drivers and conductors are to go to the five Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) offices.

    As at the end of last month, Commissioner for Transportation Comrade Kayode Opeifa said 15,000 of the 50, 000 projected operators in the sector had complied with the law. The deadline was January 31.

    Agbede told The Nation that NURTW was committed to ensuring the success of the directive. He added that the government should give his people more time.

    He said: “The government must realise that we, the leaders, are working round the clock to ensure the success of this policy because we are convinced that it is for the good of the people of the state. Every week, we speak with our people and I must say we are achieving result. Even the data of vehicles that have been in mechanic workshops were being captured once they are successfully fixed, and our drivers have being going to LASDRI for verification of their data.”

    Agbede said he had called for a deadline extension in January, to enable his men comply with the regulation, adding that the status of compliance has tremendously improved from what it was in January.

    He said though the government’s assessment may still remain poor, this does not mean that the various bodies, especially the NURTW is not working hard at ensuring the success of the exercise.

    Agbede said he regularly hold meeting with the unit leaders of the union, where he would still urge them to go back to their units and re-emphasise the need for the registration and documentation.

    He said any driver or conductor who would not want to comply with the regulation should psck out of the state, just as he assured that the policy was not out to extort the drivers or any other operator in the sector.

    “The government policy is to make the transportation sector safer and all of us should cooperate with the government in achieving this lofty dream and ensure that we flush out all those who have been giving us a bad name by using their vehicles to carry out crimes which hitherto have dented the good works of the union,” Agbede said.

    He urged the government not to embark on a rash action that would upturn the good rapport that it has forged with the leadership of the union, adding that what is needed is just a little more time to ensure the success of the initiative.

  • Attack on Ibinabo: Northern actor takes side

    Attack on Ibinabo: Northern actor takes side

    A notable Hausa actor has pitched tent with the president of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ms Ibinabo Fiberesima, who came under attacks recently, over comments she made during her visit to President Goodluck Jonathan, in Abuja.

    Fellow actress, Clarion Chukwurah decried the visit, saying it was politically motivated.

    Chukwurah also faulted Ibinabo’s claim that AGN is the only umbrella body for screen actors in Nigeria, saying the statement demeaned the existence of an older association, the Association of National Theatre Practitioners (ANTP).

    Ibinabo visited the Villa of February 18, with other members of the guild, where they made the president the Grand Patron of AGN.

    Other actors like John Okafor (Mr. Ibu) and Charles Novia had also lashed at Fiberesima at different times, but Chukwura’s onslaught was more pronounced.

    In a two-page release titled: IBINABO FIBERESIMA AND THE AGN VISIT TO PRESIDENT GEJ: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT, Chukwura who called for the resignation of the AGN president, said the request by the latter, for an Abuja secretariat for the AGN, as well as political appointments for actors was beggarly.

    The issue took another dimension, when the Vice President of AGN for North West zone, Mallam Salihu Othman Isah (Hotman) told Ibinabo’s attackers to hold their peace. According to Hotman, “the visit to Mr. President was well intended, just like other spheres of the society, whose associations or group leaderships have visited Aso Rock on courtesy calls.”

    Hotman said Ibinabo’s attackers chose to find fault in the visit, because they were not invited as part of the entourage.

    “What is special in our visit to Aso Rock anyway? Other groups have visited without anyone making any fuss out of it. We have seen where the lawyers’ body, journalists, architects, engineers, medical groups and associations, even National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ja’amatu Nasril Islam (JNI) and other religious bodies have gone there and no one raised an eyebrow. So how is the AGN different?”

    He said Ibinabo couldn’t have accommodated everybody on the visit, and that those who didn’t make the list should not take it as disregard for their person or contribution to the film industry. “This could be an oversight too, which is human. So, they should desist from any form of criticisms henceforth.”

    He said contrary to Novia’s assertion that the group went to collect handout from the Villa, “I

    want to let him and his likes know that the Ibinabo Fiberesima-led National Executive Council (NEC), with all good intention, went to visit Mr. President to request for assistance to build our national headquarters in Abuja, among other things. It was not to beg for any handout or take our share of national cake as being perceived.”

    Since the attacks, Ibinabo has not reacted personally to the allegations.