Ogun Transport Unions Engage In Bloody Clash, Several injured
Pandemonium broke out on Monday in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, when members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Ogun State Parks Management (OGSPAM) engaged in bloody clash.
It was gathered the clash which left several people injured erupted in the early hours of Monday at various motor parks in Lafenwa, Obantoko, Brewery, Ita-Oshin, Odeda and Kuto.
The state government had created OGSPAM after NURTW activity was suspended in the state in 2021, but the government in October 2023, lifted the ban.
Following the suspension of the ban, both the leadership of NURTW and OGSPAM were directed to operate at designated motor parks.
But, our correspondent gathered that, trouble started when the state commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo directed the leadership of OGSPAM to stop the sales of revenue tickets, while NURTW was ordered to take over.
The new development, it was gathered did not sit down well with members of OGSPAM who stormed the parks with dangerous weapons and shooting sporadically.
Our correspondent who visited Panseke, Kuto, Lafenwa and Brewery motor parks in Abeokuta saw the presence of heavily armed policemen standing at strategic locations of the parks to maintain peace and order.
When contacted on the development, the transport commissioner asked our correspondent to wait for his press officer, Babajide Jokotagba, but efforts to speak with this media aide was unsuccessful as he neither picked his call nor responded to text message.
Speaking on the development, the commissioner of police, Abiodun Alamut, confirmed the development adding that the situation has been brought under control.
He also debunked claims by some media houses that lives have been lost in a fracas connected to transport unions in the state.
His words, “the security agents and the government have stepped into the situation, the police are out there to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order..in fact, I am just leaving a meeting held with the government over the matter, so everything is fine and let me also add that nobody was killed too in the incident”.
