Gang war in Ogba area of Lagos

“The forthcoming elections of the NURTW in Lagos promises to be bloody as the sides gear up for action.” 

Daily commercial and domestic activities were paralysed yesterday afternoon because of a 30-minute invasion of Shorimade street, in the Ogba area of Lagos. Two LT200 commuter buses filled with thugs blocked the entry and exit points of the street in search of “Warrior”, a rival member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.

According to an eyewitness; “The guy was just calling on the other man to come out of his hiding while his thugs were walking up and down the street.”

Residents of Shorimade Street have appealed to the government, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, and the police authorities to ensure the man and his gang do not to turn their street into a battle field over their union disagreements.

An official of the NURTW known as Omoregie said several attempts have been made on the lives of some members of the union in the last two weeks. The leader of the rival group has become fearless becasue the Area G Police Command in Ogba appear helpless to stop them.

Omoregie said; “We are afraid because we are peaceful people, and we don’t want to confront thugs that go with machetes, guns and faeces. Just last week, some of our members were brutalised by this same man and the police couldn’t do a thing.”

The forth-coming Lagos state council election of NURTW in the state will be bloody, if the government does not act on time, an official of the state NURTW has warned.

The union boss said some officials of the union who were responsible for the crisis that rocked the union between 2003 and 2006 are determined to cause serious trouble in the state council to discredit the present state executives and also bring in some expelled members of the union who were punished for their corrupt practices and anti-union activities.

“Some of the state exco who created problems in the state between 2003 and 2006 and who were also responsible for the crises that rocked Oyo State NURTW between 2006 and 2010 and also organised the infamous rally in 2005 in support of the PDP are now back and ready to cause mayhem during the forthcoming state council election.”

The union boss alleged that the group is now using annoymous text messages to carry out their campaign.

One of such messages sent to the chairmen said: “Up national; Up national!! Up national !!! Arise and shine. We are calling on all the Lagos State members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State chapter, to rise and fight against the oppression, maladministration, corruption and indiscipline acts of Alhaji Olohunwa and Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC) in the affairs of our administration.”

NURTW boss declared wanted

Meanwhile a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Ikeja, Southwest Nigeria, issued a remand warrant for the detention in prison custody of the branch chairman of the NURTW Cele-Okota/Isolo-Ejigbo branch, Lateef Nosiru a.k.a. Oluomo of Cele.

Chief Magistrate Olufemi Akintunde Isaac issued the detention order for Oluomo and six other members of NURTW, Nurudeen Oladejobi, 35, Abiola Ayoola, 28, Jamiu Ogunlana, 34, Suleiman Anifowose, 35, Hakeem Ogunlowo, 35, and Tajudeen Soyoye, 48 who were charged with a three-count criminal conspiracy, assault and unlawful possession of guns and ammunition.

The police further alleged that when a team of police detectives swooped on the union members, one locally made double barrel gun and 20 rounds of live cartridges were found on them.

The police at Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos, took the seven members of the union before the court in charge No. MIK/A/73/2011, alleging that on 22 August, 2011, at about 9.30 a.m. at the NURTW office, Cele/Ikotun Phase II, the accused persons conspired with others now on the run and beat up Shina Afeshe, an offence punishable with terms of imprisonment under section 517 of the criminal code, cap 17, Vol.11 laws of Lagos State.

All the accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties who must be responsible citizens with visible means of living. The sureties must each deposit N100,000 with the court and must produce three years tax clearance.

Further hearing has been fixed for 29 September 2011.

-By JEWEL STEPHEN, NKECHI OPURUM

Source: DailyTimes

Get more trends like this

Subscribe to our mailing list and get latest Nigeria trends in your inbox.

Get more trends like this
in your inbox

Subscribe to our mailing list and get latest Nigeria trends in your inbox.