* MC Oluomo: warring parties called to order
FOLLOWING the crisis rocking the activities of the National
Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Itire-Ikate Local
Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, which led to the
breakdown of law and order last Thursday, the council Chairman, Dr
Ahmed Olarenwaju Apatira has suspended the union activities.
Apatira issued a statement last Friday halting to the activities
of the union in the council area.
The council boss said the decision was taken after numerous
complaints from the public that the NURTW members were planning to
unleash mayhem in Itire-Ikate LCDA.
Apatira said the decision became inevitable due to intelligence
reports gathered in the last few days of an impending factional
overthrow and counter-overthrow of leadership of the union within
the local government area.
It would be recalled that the change in leadership of the union
at the state level pitched the union members against one
another.
The Nation learnt that those who are not in the camp of the new
leadership have been feeling uncomfortable and have threatening
mayhem in their branches.
But the Lagos State Caretaker Committee members led by the
former State Treasurer Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo)
last week told The Nation that Oluomo urged them to reach out to
the aggrieved members.
A member of the committee, Ibrahim Yusuf said the committee
under the leadership of Oluomo will work for the progress of the
union.
Yusuf, the Ifelodun Branch ‘A’ Chairman said: “I am happy that
MC Oluomo was chosen as the leader. He has the capacity to bring
everybody under one umbrella and during a meeting today (yesterday)
he urged us to reach out to the aggrieved members. We will ensure
there is unity among our members in all branches. The aggrieved
parties should join us to move the union forward. We appeal to them
not aggravate the issue at hand.”
Comrade Tijani, who is the Ikorodu Branch ‘B’ Chairman, said
Oluomo has the passion for the development of the union.
“He wants peace in the union and told us to welcome anybody that
wants to join us. He has the capacity to lead the union and won’t
discriminate,” he said.
Apatira said, “It is worrisome that residents of Itire-Ikate
LCDA cannot sleep with their eyes closed due to the lingering
crisis that has emanated from the union members few days ago.
“All measures taken over time by security personnel in the local
government area to bring lasting and peaceful resolution to the
breakdown of peace, law and order by the members and agents of the
union proved abortive as lives and properties in the local
government have come under severe threat.”
According to him, the council is invoking her constitutional
right to own and manage motor parks as stated in “Schedule 4 made
pursuant to Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, paragraph 1e
thereof, which provides for Establishment, Maintenance and
Regulation of Slaughter Houses, Slaughter Slabs, Markets, Motor
Parks and Public Convenience”.
“The suspension order would be in place till sanity and peace is
guaranteed by members of the union.”
Apatira, in a letter to the Area ‘D’ Police Commandant in
Mushin, on Friday titled “Obstruction of peace,” urged the police
to ensure sanity in the area.
The letter reads: “I write to inform you of the obstruction of
peace by members of the NURTW within the council area.
“In view of the above, I write to intimate you of this ugly
situation and to inform you that the activities of the union are
hereby suspended till further notice. Your urgent intervention to
avoid breakdown of law and order and restore peace in the community
is hereby sought.”
Lagos State Caretaker Committee Chairman Alhaji Musiliu
Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo) told The Nation that the warring
parties have been called to order.
“We have spoken to them and advised them to sheathe their
swords. Like I always say, there is no point fighting ourselves. We
are one body irrespective of who is at the helm of affairs,” he
said.
Subscribe ToNairalaw News!
Read more lagos-council-bans-nurtw-activities/
DSS Operative
Again, DSS Issues Alert on Plans to Undermine National
Security
The Department of State Services (DSS) wishes to reiterate its
earlier alert to the nation of plans by subversive groups and
individuals to undermine national security, peace and unity in the
country.
These elements are determined to exploit political differences
and other occurrences, within and outside the country, to
destabilize the nation.
They also initiate narratives to deepen their subversive
objectives so as to achieve preferred illegal outcomes. The aim is
to set the country on fire as well as inflame passions across
ethnic and religious divides with expected violent
consequences.
Also, the Service expresses dismay over the increasing use of
fake news and unsubstantiated information spread across social
media platforms to deceive and incite sections of the populace to
civil unrest.
While condemning the unpatriotic and misguided activities of
these anti-social elements, the Service equally warns them to
desist forthwith from their unholy acts as the full weight of the
law will be brought against them.
In the same vein, citizens are enjoined to remain law abiding,
peaceful and report any suspicions likely to inhibit public safety
to appropriate authorities. On its part, the Service will remain
committed in its pursuit of national stability in line with its
statutory mandate of protecting the country against crimes and
threats to its internal security.
Peter Afunanya, Ph.D
Public Relations Officer,
Department of State Services,
National Headquarters,
Abuja