At least 20 vehicles destroyed as NURTW members, tricycle operators clash in Ilorin
By: Sambo Yusuf
A minor disagreement between two commercial drivers on Thursday snowballed into a free-for-all involving the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Tricycle Operators and Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, RTEAN.
It was gathered that the free-for-all involving the three transport unions, broke out in Okolowo area of Ilorin following a minor accident.
One of the commercial drivers identified only as Sunday whose tricycle was destroyed narrated, “I was not involved in the fight, I usually ply Maraba/Sango and I was going back home at that time. I met the NURTW people in Ogidi area displaying several dangerous weapons. I left my tricycle and ran away. But before I came back, it has been destroyed.”
The Informant247 learnt that no fewer than 20 vehicles – including bus and tricycle were destroyed during the incident.
A member of NURTW, who witnessed the incident but pleaded not to be named, lamented the excesses of the tricycle operators, saying they are always engaging other drivers in fights and disturbing peace at the parks.
The cause
The fight according to the spokesman of the Command, DSP Okasanmi Ajayi occurred over a minor accident between a tricycle rider and a Mitsubishi Canter driver, which degenerated into a brawl among the groups.
“The crisis later extended to the Oloje, Alore and Omoda areas of the Ilorin metropolis, with windshields and rear lights of some vehicles damaged,” he said.
Alhaji Abdusalam Alagbo, the Deputy Chairman of NURTW in the state speaking with our correspondent on the incident said, “The Tricycle Operators are very reckless when driving. They don’t have respect for anyone and always engage co-drivers in fighting. Whenever they have an encounter with anybody, they usually rush to take out different dangerous weapons. They are always disturbing our peace and tormenting people at Okolowo park.”
Police restore peace, issue warnings
The police spokesman, in the statement, said prompt dispatch of the Command’s Tactical Units and other conventional policemen by the Commissioner of Police, Tuesday Assayomo, coupled with the professional manner the situation was handled, ultimately restored sanity in the affected areas.
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, who expressed his displeasure at the rate some transport operators were inclined to lawlessness in the State, charged the leaders of all transport unions in the State to call their members to order.
He vowed never to allow any person or group of persons jeopardize the peace currently in existence in Kwara State.
Although no injury or casualty was recorded in the fracas, the police commissioner said the suspects arrested would be charged to court after completion of investigations into the matter.
Meanwhile, the CP has placed teams of policemen in the area to monitor and arrest any person found instigating any act of lawlessness, while advising members of the public to go about their lawful businesses without any fear of harassment or intimidation.
Source: The Informant247 Naija News Today
