Lagos Police warns NURTW against public protests over crisis within union

In response to planned protests by the Lagos State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) the state’s Police Command has warned against any activities which might lead to a breakdown in law and order.

The warning was issued on Tuesday by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Abiodun Alabi, who noted that the police would not condone any form of protest by any group.

He said “The Police have put additional security measures in place to forestall any breakdown of law and order in any part of the state,” Alabi reassured Lagosians.

In adherence to the Force’s guidelines on security, patrol teams were dispatched on Wednesday to strategic places in the state to maintain the peace as the NURTW sought to protest the alleged victimisation of its Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo.

In an earlier interview on Arise TV, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso allayed the fears of Lagosians while urging them to disregard the viral social media messages about imminent violence by the NURTW.

“People should disregard the ongoing social media messages about an imminent breakout of violence and the security agencies had reassured about adequate presence to forestall any breakdown in law and order,” Omotoso clarified.

The NURTW national body had suspended Oluomo for alleged insubordination and other gross misconducts.

This led to a withdrawal of the state chapter from the organisation with Oluomo citing irreconcilable differences between the members of the NURTW executive committee for the decision.

In the sequence of events, the Lagos State government banned the activities of the NURTW in motor parks across the state.