NURTW/PMC Leadership Crisis:Protests as Groups Begin Ownership Tussle of Parks in Lagos

NURTW/PMC Leadership Crisis:Protests as Groups Begin Ownership Tussle of Parks in Lagos

Major protests by tricycle operators were recorded in different parts of Lagos on Tuesday as Police squad were immediately on ground to disperse the protesters.

THECONSCIENCENG gathered that another group of tricycle operators protested around Abule-Egba, in the Agbado-Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area of the state.

The protesters lamented alleged harassment by armed thugs sponsored by the chairman of Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Azeez Abiola, aka Istijabah.

The tricycle operators said the harassment started after they denounced their membership from NURTW and TOOAN, adding that Istijabah and his foot-soldiers allegedly condemned them for attempting to join the transport union committee created by the government.

Confirming the protest, the erstwhile chairman, TOOAN, Branch B, Ojokoro-Ijaiye, Musa Adekunbi, aka Odo, accused members of the association of deposing him after pledging allegiance to the government-led committee headed by MC Oluomo.

He said, “I used to be the treasurer, TOOAN,under NURTW but recently, I recorded myself in a video clip that I am no longer with TOOAN and that I am now working with the state government’s Park and Garages Committee but he (Istijabah) disagreed despite about 20 others leaving the zone to join the park management.

“My branch is at Ijaiye but he willingly allowed about 20 people to go and join the park management but he does not want me to join and I no longer want to join TOOAN. So, his boys were the ones that came to pursue us away from the Ijaiye park and we reported the incident at the Ojokoto police station and at Area G in Ogba.”

Reacting, the secretary, TOOAN, identified simply as Roland, said Adekanbi acted selfishly, adding that he wanted to take over TOOAN’s park after deciding to join PMC.

He said, “Our former zonal treasurer (Adekanbi) called for help from MC Oluomo and his gang to assist him in taking over our parks to join the Park Management Committee. Our association is not under PMC, but because of his own personal interest, that was why he wanted to take the park to PMC.

“I called him about the video and he said he did it because he was tense and that people told him to do it to be able to corner my boss because my boss has refused to join PMC.”

Contacted, Jimoh Buari, the spokesperson for MC Oluomo, said his boss had not directed anybody to take over parks in the areas, adding that the transport union members joined willingly.

Our correspondent had reported incessant clashes between NURTW loyalists of MC Oluomo and Istijabah in different areas in the state.

During the clashes, cases of exchange of gunfires had been recorded as passersby, residents, and business owners in the affected areas scamper to safety because of tension.