Iyana Iba on fire over death of 3 NURTW members _ {VIDEO}

 

Just in three people of a rival group belonging to the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria

, RTEAN, were dead while several others sustained injuries during a gang war at Iyana-Iba, Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, yesterday.

It was heard that a familiar clash happened in the Surulere area between transport unions and the park men.

It was later said that the clash, which arise in the early hours was due to the misuses of power over the control and right for the sale of tickets and remitting of tolls from commercial buses at Ojo motor park and environs.

The gang followed a protest by some RTEAN members asking the removal of the National President of the association over alleged nonchalant and embezzlement of funds.

One of the top man of a rival group, Babatunde Kazeem, accused the National President of RTEAN, Musa Muhammed of leading them astray in the affairs and management of the state’s union for selfish interest.

Kazeem says, “3 of our members have been murdered  by the invading rival group backed by the national body, while one other is on the danger list at the hospital where he was rushed to.

“Muhammad will not be  president of the union and at the same time chairman of the state.

We need a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the union pending the election of substantive officers. He is intimidating us with the use of law enforcement agencies. We do not want war in RTEAN Lagos State, we want peace.

“We, hereby, call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene by calling the National President and his boys to order before the crisis snowballs into full-scale violence.”

However, it took the intervention of the state Police Command to douse and restored normalcy to the area as the warring groups were dispersed.

LASG reads riot act, probes fracas

At an emergency meeting with a faction of the group, in Alausa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, called on the warring factions to sheath their swords or face the dire consequences as Police had been alerted and directed to arrest anyone caught disturbing the peace and tranquillity of the state.

Giwa said the state government had commenced a full investigation into the fracas at the Ojo and Surulere areas of the state with a view to preventing the breakdown of law and order.

He said: “We have commenced investigation into the allegations levelled against the National President of the union with the aim of resolving every lingering issue. Therefore, everyone must maintain peace.

“The government has listened to your cries, we urge you to maintain the peace as we will not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law on erring members when caught.”