One person has been reportedly killed when two factional members of National Union of Road Transport Union (NURTW), clashed over ticketing at Idumota, Lagos Island on Monday.
It was gathered that the clashed was between one Kunle Poly boys and and a member of the Union, boys called Okoro over ticketing of motor park at Idumota.
The clash was said to have started around 10.a.m on Monday when Kunle Poly boys prevented the Okoro boys from collecting ticket fees from Commercial drivers turning at the back of Eyo status at Idumota.
The hoodlums, it was gathered used dangerous weapons unchanged as one person was said to have died and several other sustained varying degrees of injuries in the fracas.
It was also gathered that some of the traders close to the park were seriously attacked as their goods were also destroyed by the rampaging thugs.
According to eyewitnesses who do not want his name in print, during the tenure of the former Lagos State NURTW, Chairman Tajudeen Agbede, it was only Kunle Poly that was controlling the park.
The source noted that “since the present Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, AKA MC Oluomo took over, the park was splited into three units, with three Chairmen. Kunle Poly and his boys are not happy with the new development.
“It was like war on Monday when they were fighting, we couldn’t open our shops, some hoodlums used the opportunity to loot people’s shops and attacked their perceived enemies in the market.
“I don’t know why Lagos State government cannot proscribe NURTW. The havoc they are causing is unbearable for us on the Island”.
A trader who simply gave his name as Abdulrahman said one of the boys of Okoro, named Tolani was said to have been hacked to death by the rival union members.
Abdulrahman said when the park was shared for both parties by the present NURTW Chairman, Kunle Poly boys are to work for two weeks, while the Okoro boys are also to work for one week.
“Fortunately, Kunle Poly boys had completed their days and it was the turn of Okoro boys who came out to work, but Kunle Poly boys allegedly attacked them and prevented them from working at park, which resulted into a fierce clash.
“Presently, some members of the NURTW from the state level are on ground to resolve the matter amicably between the two rival groups in the park. A team of policemen from Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Taskforce and mobile policemen were at the scene to prevent further breakdown of law and order in area and the park.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Bala Elkana told The Guardian on telephone that the clash had been quelled by the police.
According to him, “The fight is between two rival groups in Idumota Motor Park. Our officers have intervened and Lagos State government has also intervened on the matter. It is not true that someone died.”