Simon Lalong, the Minister of Labour and Employment, has issued a directive to suspend all activities conducted by the various factions of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) while seeking an amicable resolution to their ongoing dispute.
This instruction, conveyed in a letter signed by Mr. Emmanuel Igbinosun, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, on behalf of the minister, and addressed to the National President of the union, was made following a meeting between Minister Lalong and the executives of NURTW.
The letter is titled, ‘Leadership Of The National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) And Industrial Coup D’état By The Former President Of The Union, Alh Najeem Usman Yasin And His Rampaging Illegal Militia-A Clarion Call For Intervention.’
The letter noted that both factions in the dispute were notified about the development.
The letter read, “Following the meeting held with you on the above subject, I am directed to inform you that, in line with the power conferred on the Honourable Minister of Labour by Section 5 of the Trade Dispute Act CAP T8 Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment has apprehended this dispute.
“In view of the above, the Honourable Minister has directed the suspension of all further activities by the factions of the NURTW pending an amicable resolution of the dispute.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all activities in furtherance of the election of new executives and related to the day-to-day operations of the union are suspended henceforth.
“Further directives would be communicated to you on or before Friday 13th October 2023. This information has also been communicated to the other faction in the dispute.
“Please accept the assurances of the kind regards of the Honourable Minister.”
Recently, a faction of the union led by Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede who came from Lagos State forcefully took over the National Secretariat of the union located at Garki 2 and dislodged the incumbent President, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa.
Baruwa and three other national officers of the union were recently detained in Abuja by the police over the leadership crisis rocking the union.
Baruwa was invited to a meeting by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, which was also attended by the faction of Agbede which is also with Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, who was formerly leading the disbanded Lagos Park Management Committee.
MC Oluomo is an ally of President Bola Tinubu.
Earlier this month, a middle-aged man was beaten up in Abuja by some members of the union loyal to MC Oluomo after he was accused of carrying passengers.
According to reports, the incident occurred at Area 1 near Conoil filling station where the yet-to-be-identified young man was detained while his vehicle was impounded.
Reports indicate that he had been apprehended by the union’s task force and forcibly transported to the Area 1 office, where he was demanded to pay a fine of N20,000. The alleged reason for this fine was his supposed involvement in carrying passengers along the road.
The situation escalated when the individual refuted the accusations, vehemently asserting that he had not transported any passengers in his vehicle.
As tensions rose, a physical altercation ensued between the man and the branch leader, according to a source who spoke with journalis. The conflict quickly drew in other union members, resulting in a violent brawl that left the young man severely battered and nearly unconscious.
He was subjected to further brutality as he was dragged along the ground and struck with sticks and iron rods.
Thankfully, the intervention of concerned bystanders came just in time to rescue him from the aggressors who had threatened his life.
