For residents and businesses in Idumota, Church Streets, Eyin Eyo, and the adjoining areas, on Lagos Island, relief is in the offing, following the ban on the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in that part of the state.
The Lagos State government slammed the ban on Tuesday, apparently reacting to last week’s clash between two factions of the union, which resulted in the death of an unspecified number of persons.
In a video that went viral on social media last week Thursday, men believed to be loyal to the warring factions of the NURTW were seen brandishing dangerous weapons and engaging themselves in a free for all, causing members of the public to scamper, with shops and all commercial activities hurriedly shut for the day.
Voices of helpless and fear-stricken members of the public caught in the deadly clash could also be heard in the video calling out Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Mudaishiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly for failing, over the years, to tame the union members whose activities on Lagos Island had always left blood and deaths in their trail.
This is also as leaders of the two clashing factions of the transportation unions, Azeez Lawal (Kunle Poly), and Mustapha Sego arrested by the state police command in connection with the clash, are still being interrogated.
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Meanwhile, the Lagos State government says the ban on the activities of the union was in line with one of its cardinal objectives, which is security and good governance.
At a meeting with the union and the Lagos State Market Women Association in Ikeja, on Tuesday, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, the special adviser to the governor on Transportation, said the ban would tackle violent crises often caused by the activities of the union.
According to the special adviser, the Lagos State Parks Monitoring Authority will resume at Eyin Eyo.
Fayinka further stated that the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) will station an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) on Idumota Bridge to deter motorists from driving against traffic in compliance with traffic rules and regulations and to enforce the suspension of the NURTW within the axis and simultaneously flush out the Oju Opake boys lurking along Plaza around Church Street axis.
Also suspended are tricycles (Keke Marwa) and mini-busses (Korope). The special adviser added that the RRS in collaboration with the state police command will ensure the safety of lives in the area.
