Tension as Factional Members of Tanker Drivers Union Resist Imposition of Caretaker Committee

Precious Ugwuzor

There was palpable tension yesterday at the NNPC Satellite Depot, Ejigbo, Lagos following threats by a faction of Tanker Drivers Union to stop the imposition of a caretaker committee at the depot.

 The faction, which claims to be the majority, were said to have perfected plans to stop the imposition of caretaker committee by using all arsenal at their disposal. 

Ignoring all entreaties by their leaders to maintain peace, the factional members  insisted that one of their leaders betrayed them by signing peace accord with both the police, DSS and Zone 2 of the Nigerian Police, Onikan, Lagos and vowed to sanction those leaders. 

One of the warring members of the group told reporters at Ejigbo where they were meeting to perfect plans to resist the imposition of caretaker committee that  the police, DSS and Zone 2, police command, Onikan invited one of their former leaders over the week and forced him to sign an undertaking to maintain peace instead of addressing the main issue that is causing the problem at the Depot. 

He said: “We have two factions of our union. The national body tried to intervene without success. A caretaker committee was appointed and instead of spending three months and give way for election,  they spent almost a year and this is the crux of our complaint.

“Now, the case of our national leadership is in court but the other faction ignored it and perfected plans for the caretaker committee to continue at Ejigbo. This cannot work and we will resist it with the last blood in our veins.

“They have been boasting that they will use money to suppress us but it cannot work. We are the majority. Our former leader that was cajoled to sign peace agreement under duress has been pleading that we should maintain peace but it cannot work. 

“The only way to ensure the maintenance of peace at Ejigbo Depot is for election to be conducted. By so doing, credible officers will be duly elected by the majority and peace will return to Ejigbo Depot.”

Last week, the Lagos State Police Command,  invited about 11 of the leaders of the faction at Ejigbo Depot for interrogation and after meeting with the acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Ayilara, their leader was made to sign an undertaken to maintain peace at the Depot and after that, they were all taken to Zone 2, Onikan where they signed similar undertaken.

 Earlier, it was gathered that they also signed same undertaken at the office of the DSS in Sangisha.