Following the violence that occurred in the Ojo and Lagos Island areas of Lagos on Wednesday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of has ordered the suspension of all activities of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, on Thursday adding that a 35- Man Caretaker Committee has been constituted to take over activities of the union henceforth.
“In a bid to fulfill one of the cardinal objectives of the T.H.E.M.E.S developmental agenda of the present administration in Lagos State as it relates to Security and Good Governance, under Traffic Management and Transportation, the Lagos State Government has suspended all activities of RTEAN with immediate effect,” Giwa said.
The acronym, T.H.E.M.E.S, refers to the six pillars of the State’s strategic development agenda, namely: Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism, as well as Security and Governance
Giwa reiterated that suspension becomes necessary to prevent further acts of violence in the State, stressing that men of the Lagos State Police Command will be deployed across the State to enforce the suspension and ensure the safety of lives and properties.
He revealed that the State had met with some representatives of the RTEAN on Wednesday following a protest by some members of the Union demanding the removal of their National President.
He added that the Government had assured the RTEAN members of a total investigation into the allegations leveled against the National President with a promise to resolve all lingering issues.
Report had it that not fewer than two persons were feared dead during a clash involving factional members of RTEAN in the Iyana Iba and Lagos Island areas of Lagos State.
During the clash on Wednesday, the transport union members were seen in a trending video clip engaging themselves in a free-for-all.
In the video clip posted by one Kayode Adeniran on tweeter,the transport union workers were seen fighting themselves with stones, bottles, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons.
The Committee according to the statement is headed by Hon. Sulaiman Adeshina Raji with Bamgbose Oluseyi as Deputy Chairman.
Other members of the Committee include; Sunday Aransiola, Sulaiman Onabanjo, Azeez Abdulrahman, Isiaka Seriki, Victor Ifemenam, Kareem Babatunde, Amusan Abdulrahman, Teslim Adeshina, Sulaiman Surajudeen, and Fatai Rauf.
Others are; Sunday Banjo, Segun Omole, Thomas Akinkayode, Taiwo Lasisi, Gbenga Kashimawo, Samson Ajala, Taiwo Daodu, Sule Aliu, Ahmed Musa and Oladipupo Ibrahim, Adewale Adeniyi, Olatunji Durojaiye, Wasiu Olanrewaju, Taofeek Onileola, Yusuf Afolabi, Bode Ogungbade, Alh. A.A. Ussaini, Saliu Usman, Saheed Badru, Kolawole Yusuf, Kayode Thomas, Idowu Oyewole, and Salami Babatunde Ope are to also join them.