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Lagos State government has suspended activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at Eyin Eyo, Church Street and Idumota Bridge indefinitely due to the recent violence in those areas.
Special Adviser to the governor on transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka announced the suspension on Tuesday in a statement made available to pressmen, saying that the decision was taken in a bid to fulfil one of the cardinal objectives of the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of the present administration in Lagos State as it relates to Security and Good Governance under Traffic Management and Transportation.
According to him, the decision was arrived at, at a stakeholders meeting called to tackle crisis often caused by the activities of the union, and comprising the NURTW, Central Business District (CBD) and Lagos State Market Women Association (Iya Oloja General and Iya Oloja of Lagos Island), which took place on Monday at the Bagauda Kaltho Press centre.
Fayinka said the ban was placed to prevent further acts of violence at Idumota, adding that the Lagos State Parks Monitoring Authority would resume at Eyin Eyo.
Fayinka further stated that the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) would station an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) on Idumota Bridge to deter motorists from driving against traffic in compliance with traffic Rules and Regulations and to enforce the suspension of the NURTW within the axis and simultaneously flush out the Oju Opake boys lurking along Plaza around Church Street axis.
He also announced the suspension of activities of the transport union at Church Street and John Street particularly Keke Marwa and Mini Buses (Korope), adding that the RRS, in collaboration with the State Police Command, would ensure the safety of lives in the area.
“State Security Operatives are hereby put on Red Alert to ensure safety and security of lives and property in Lagos Island and environs,” Fayinka said.
Appreciating the position just taken by the State government, the Iya Oloja, Lagos Island, Alhaja Risikat Odumosu, while expressing her displeasure at the wanton looting and destruction of their goods in shops around the Idumota area, pleaded with the state government to come to their rescue, saying that they would not stand back and watch their properties destroyed by miscreants whom they had never seen before.