Before NURTW’s Habitual Violence Desecrates FCT

Some leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, whose violent activities have traumatised residents of many states in Nigeria, have spread their acts of lawlessness to the Federal Capital Territory with the tacit support of security agencies and political patrons of the various transport unions. Ejiofor Alike  writes that political interests should draw a distinction between politics and criminalities and halt the ongoing attempt to subject the FCT residents to another nightmare

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, had recently confirmed that one person was killed in a violent clash between the factional groups of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the Sapele Crescent, off Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki II, FCT.

Garba, who said the police arrested 23 suspects, added that three rifles were recovered.

The violence did not come to many Nigerians as a surprise as some NURTW leaders have gained some notoriety for acts of violence, extortion, violation of traffic rules, political thuggery, gestapo-style leadership change, and other acts of lawlessness, particularly in states where the union is used as a political weapon by the leaders of the major political parties.

Incidents of violence and other acts of lawlessness by NURTW in many states, had forced some state governments to ban the activities of the union.

What, however, came as a surprise in the latest violence that erupted in Abuja was that political leaders and security agencies allowed the union to breach the peace of the country’s seat of power with its habitual violence, which has traumatised the residents of many states where the words of leaders of the union are law.

The violence reportedly broke out when suspected supporters of the factional president, Tajudeen Baruwa, attempted to enter the NURTW’s headquarters, which was forcefully occupied by the members of another transport union from Lagos, backed by the former NURTW Vice President, Tajudeen Agbede.

The FCT police command which is supposed to clear the country’s capital city of these troublemakers and encourage them to take their leadership tussle to the court, allegedly displayed partisanship in handling the crisis by aiding one faction.

Following the violent clash, the command arrested the National President of the union, Baruwa and over 20 other members over conduct that borders on public disturbance and breach of the peace.

Before the violent clash, the FCT police had last month arrested Baruwa and the union’s General Secretary, Anthony Asogwa Chukudi; National Trustee, Olayi Odion; and the Principal Assistant Secretary, Abdulrasak Yemi.

The police were said to have invited Baruwa and Agbede for investigation on August 11, following alleged plans by some groups to stage a protest at the National Secretariat of the union located at Garki 2, Abuja.

Baruwa and other NURTW officials were detained at the Wuse Zone 3 Division in Abuja and later granted freedom.

The complicity of the political leadership and security agencies in the NURTW crisis has become worrisome.

In detaining the leaders of one faction and leaving the  other faction, the police have been accused of dancing to the tune of some political leaders who have failed to draw a distinction between criminalities and politics.

These political leaders have over the years used some leaders of the unions to perpetrate violence in some states during elections.

The leaders of many state chapters of the NURTW have since deviated from the primary objective of labour unions, which is to protect the interest of its members.

While some NURTW leaders in some states have continued to adhere to the ideals for which labour unions are known, several others have become political weapons in the hands of politicians.

This category of leaders  feed fat at the expense of drivers and vehicle owners who are harassed and extorted at every bus stop and motor park.

It has become a nightmare for many Nigerians to invest in vehicle transport business in many states in the country due to the extortion of transporters by some leaders of the NURTW who earn huge income daily for doing no business, except hiring thugs to extort drivers.

With bandits, kidnappers and armed robbers already terrorising the residents of the FCT, NURTW’s acts of lawlessness on the roads should not be added to their miseries.

Reacting to the NURTW crisis, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had raised the alarm over what it described as illegal interference by the acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun in the internal affairs of the NURTW, which is one of NLC’s affiliates.

In a statement by its president, Joe Ajaero, the NLC said the NURTW has had its lawful activities restricted and shackled in Lagos State and other South-west states of Oyo, Osun and Ondo despite the pronouncements of the courts to the contrary.

NLC argued that having felt unchallenged, the same forces that forcefully took over the union in these states and renamed them in some as Lands and Parks, are seeking to expand their reach nationwide.

The labour union threatened to picket the police headquarters and police stations nationwide if the acting IG, Egbetokun does not end what it described as the illegal action.

“Nigerians should be aware that some forces seek to completely take over the leadership of the union, which they hope to use to seize the nation’s civic space, muzzle voices of opposition and undermine democratic practices and aspirations in Nigeria.

“NLC does not understand where the IG derives the power to meddle in the affairs of trade unions when it is neither a court as stipulated in the Constitution. Our laws are very clear on how industrial disputes should be settled in Nigeria and we are sure that the IG as the chief law enforcement officer is conversant with that process. We wonder why he has refused to submit himself to the supremacy of the law.

“What is happening demonstrates a further extension of the same brutal power play at work, which was used by the same actors to forcefully take over the union which was established under the instrumentality of the law.”

“It is an unholy quest at expanding the hegemony of impunity originating from these same powers who may want to deploy the instrumentality of the IGP to spread this illegality around the nation. This definitely raises yet another ugly scepter in our nation’s democratic space and must be condemned by all patriots,” NLC explained.

NLC warned the IG to tread with caution and stop meddling in affairs that are clearly beyond the purview of his powers.