One Killed, 11 Injured in Fresh NURTW Crisis in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

The leadership crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Worker (NURTW) has taken in a new dimension, as one person was feared killed with more than 11 others injured during a clash in Akure.

THISDAY gathered that the hoodlums, numbering about 40, arrived at the Ondo road motor park in the state capital in buses, and went on rampage across other parks in the state capital.

THISDAY also learnt that the bloodbath which occurred last Monday night spread to other parts of the state capital, as residents scampered for safety and shop were hurriedly closed by owners to avoid looting.

Meanwhile, the bloody clash was coming a few hours after the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, through his Deputy and acting Governor of the state, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa,  suspended the union and inaugurated a 21-member state Motor Parks Management Committee led by former state Chairman of the union, Jacob Adebo.

According to a statement signed by the deputy governor’s Press Secretary, Kenneth Odusola Stevenson, “The government noted the unfortunate unending crisis and litigation involving the Union in court which has adversely affected activities in the public motor parks in the state. The state government, therefore, has decided to take over all the public motor parks in the state and set up a committee to administer same. The Union’s activities in public parks in the state are accordingly suspended.”

THISDAY gathered that specifically, men, who were said to be aggrieved over the setting up of the motor parks committee, took to the street to protest and express their displeasure.

Reacting, the Jacob Adebo Idajo-led Ondo State Motor Parks Management Committee alleged that some men who are loyal to a former state deputy chairman of the NURTW are causing unrest and attacking park managers in the state.

According to one of the committee members, who spoke with journalists in Akure, “After the Ondo State Government had set up Ondo State Motor Park Management Committee to replace NURTW in the state, it was learnt that some men of the former Ondo State NURTW deputy chairman had also ordered some set of his boys and other hoodlums to allegedly attack members of the committee set up by the state government to be led by Jacob Idajo.

“Our sources told us that the boys of the former state deputy chairman arranged themselves to interrupt the inauguration of the Park Management Committee last Monday at the cocoa conference hall, Governor’s Office in Alagbaka, Akure; which proved abortive due to the security around the venue, as they could not operate around the governor’s office,” he said.