The orgy of violence and
needless killings
continued Monday in
Lagos following the
bloody clash by factions
of the National Union of
Road Transport Workers
(NURTW), at Idumota
(Lagos Island) area of the
state. At the end of the
“war”, no fewer than 10
persons laid dead with
many others sustaining
varying degrees of
injury, and properties
worth millions of naira
destroyed. Last
Saturday, a petrol tanker
fell in Mile Two area of
the city, killing five
persons and burning
over 39 vehicles. Last
week too, nine persons
were killed by the Lagos
Island “Area Boys” as
the struggle for power
continued in the district.The previous weeks
have recorded rounds of
violence in the Mushin
area of the city with
heavy casualties from
warring factions as well
as even innocent
residents of the area.
The NURTW clash was
said to be between the
Isale-Eko faction and
Onola-Agarawu-Itafaji
boys over the on-going
leadership crisis in
NURTW.
Streets affected by the
clash were Onala, Isale-
gangan, Aro Lawyer,
Jankara, Dosumu, Adeniji,
Princess, Agarawu, Itafaji
and other suburbs.
As at press time, about
12 persons were
reportedly injured just
as five cars were burnt
by the warring factions.
The fight which started at
about 4am Monday was
just one in a series of
clashes by the NURTW
that has hit the area in
recent times with rising
casualty figures. The
area had literally sat on
a keg of gunpowder, as it
explodes regularly, and
most times uncontrolled.
An eyewitness said one
of the warring factions
mostly made up of youths
had stormed Isale-
Gangan street and set
two cars ablaze.
In the ensuing melee,
they reportedly pushed
one of the cars inside the
building at No. 28; Isale-
Igangan Street. The
building which housed a
photo studio named New
Star Photo and an
Automated Teller Machine
(ATM) was set ablaze by
the hoodlums after
bathing the building with
petrol.
The eyewitness said the
building was razed
because the attempt to
loot the ATM was
unsuccessful.
THISDAY gathered that
peace was only restored
to the area when riot
policemen as well as
Rapid Response Squad
(RRS) personnel arrived.
Armoured Personnel
Carriers (APC) were also
deployed in Itafaji,
Idumagbo Avenue and
Tom Jones areas of the
Island to forestall more
mayhem. Residents had
been living in fear on a
daily basis because of
the running factional
crisis.
According to a resident
who identified himself as
Jide Olabode, the
hoodlums from Isale-Eko
had stormed the area in
the dead of the night all
geared up for a fight.
He said: “The hoodlums
who were all garbed in
black came to our area
and started shooting into
the air, daring us to come
out and challenge them.
Their attack was to
avenge the death of nine
of their members who
were casualties of the
supremacy battle in
NURTW two weeks ago.”
The attempt by the night
guards to alert the
residents was said to
have infuriated the
hoodlums who then began
to vandalise vehicles
parked in the area.
Olabode said the Onala
faction immediately
staged a counter attack
few hours later and
unleashed mayhem. He
lamented that the victims
of the attack were
innocent by-standers
coming to the island who
had no hand in the early
morning clash. He blamed
the slow response of the
police for the loss of
lives.
When contacted, the
spokesman of the state
Police Command, Mr.
Joseph Jaiyeoba, a
superintendent of police,
however said there were
no casualties.
He said: “The report I got
stated that there was no
casualty neither was
anybody injured.”
He however admitted that
some vehicles were
vandalised and shops
ransacked.
He urged the citizenry to
go about their normal
activities, adding that the
police were at alert to
forestall any breakdown
of law and order in the
state.
The police spokesman
said no arrest was made
because the hoodlums
had fled at the superior
power of the police.
To calm frayed nerves,
the duo of Alhaji Rafiu
Olohunwa and Alhaji
Musiliu Akinsanya, the
two top contenders for
the chairmanship of the
Lagos State branch of the
NURTW, were recently
banned by the national
leadership from
contesting in the
forthcoming elections.
THISDAY gathered the
ban was to curb the
escalation of the violent
clashes by the members
of the two factions in the
state. Twelve persons
have been reportedly
killed and several others
injured in the five-day
running clash between
the two factions.
In a statement signed by
the National President of
the union, Alhaji Nojeem
Yasin, and General
Secretary, Comrade
Kingsley Uko, the union
had banned the duo from
contesting elections into
office of Lagos State
chapter of the NURTW.
Giving reasons for the
ban, the union said the
duo were suspended for
anti-union activities
which was meant to
create hitches in the
forthcoming state council
delegates’ conference.
The release reads in
part: “In a bid to gain
undue advantage over
other contestants, the
suspended duo have
been harassing and
intimidating other
contestants and voters.
In the long run, this might
lead to a breakdown of
law and order in the
state.”
The union urged
members not to succumb
to any acts of
intimidation, adding that
they should go about
their daily activities.
needless killings
continued Monday in
Lagos following the
bloody clash by factions
of the National Union of
Road Transport Workers
(NURTW), at Idumota
(Lagos Island) area of the
state. At the end of the
“war”, no fewer than 10
persons laid dead with
many others sustaining
varying degrees of
injury, and properties
worth millions of naira
destroyed. Last
Saturday, a petrol tanker
fell in Mile Two area of
the city, killing five
persons and burning
over 39 vehicles. Last
week too, nine persons
were killed by the Lagos
Island “Area Boys” as
the struggle for power
continued in the district.The previous weeks
have recorded rounds of
violence in the Mushin
area of the city with
heavy casualties from
warring factions as well
as even innocent
residents of the area.
The NURTW clash was
said to be between the
Isale-Eko faction and
Onola-Agarawu-Itafaji
boys over the on-going
leadership crisis in
NURTW.
Streets affected by the
clash were Onala, Isale-
gangan, Aro Lawyer,
Jankara, Dosumu, Adeniji,
Princess, Agarawu, Itafaji
and other suburbs.
As at press time, about
12 persons were
reportedly injured just
as five cars were burnt
by the warring factions.
The fight which started at
about 4am Monday was
just one in a series of
clashes by the NURTW
that has hit the area in
recent times with rising
casualty figures. The
area had literally sat on
a keg of gunpowder, as it
explodes regularly, and
most times uncontrolled.
An eyewitness said one
of the warring factions
mostly made up of youths
had stormed Isale-
Gangan street and set
two cars ablaze.
In the ensuing melee,
they reportedly pushed
one of the cars inside the
building at No. 28; Isale-
Igangan Street. The
building which housed a
photo studio named New
Star Photo and an
Automated Teller Machine
(ATM) was set ablaze by
the hoodlums after
bathing the building with
petrol.
The eyewitness said the
building was razed
because the attempt to
loot the ATM was
unsuccessful.
THISDAY gathered that
peace was only restored
to the area when riot
policemen as well as
Rapid Response Squad
(RRS) personnel arrived.
Armoured Personnel
Carriers (APC) were also
deployed in Itafaji,
Idumagbo Avenue and
Tom Jones areas of the
Island to forestall more
mayhem. Residents had
been living in fear on a
daily basis because of
the running factional
crisis.
According to a resident
who identified himself as
Jide Olabode, the
hoodlums from Isale-Eko
had stormed the area in
the dead of the night all
geared up for a fight.
He said: “The hoodlums
who were all garbed in
black came to our area
and started shooting into
the air, daring us to come
out and challenge them.
Their attack was to
avenge the death of nine
of their members who
were casualties of the
supremacy battle in
NURTW two weeks ago.”
The attempt by the night
guards to alert the
residents was said to
have infuriated the
hoodlums who then began
to vandalise vehicles
parked in the area.
Olabode said the Onala
faction immediately
staged a counter attack
few hours later and
unleashed mayhem. He
lamented that the victims
of the attack were
innocent by-standers
coming to the island who
had no hand in the early
morning clash. He blamed
the slow response of the
police for the loss of
lives.
When contacted, the
spokesman of the state
Police Command, Mr.
Joseph Jaiyeoba, a
superintendent of police,
however said there were
no casualties.
He said: “The report I got
stated that there was no
casualty neither was
anybody injured.”
He however admitted that
some vehicles were
vandalised and shops
ransacked.
He urged the citizenry to
go about their normal
activities, adding that the
police were at alert to
forestall any breakdown
of law and order in the
state.
The police spokesman
said no arrest was made
because the hoodlums
had fled at the superior
power of the police.
To calm frayed nerves,
the duo of Alhaji Rafiu
Olohunwa and Alhaji
Musiliu Akinsanya, the
two top contenders for
the chairmanship of the
Lagos State branch of the
NURTW, were recently
banned by the national
leadership from
contesting in the
forthcoming elections.
THISDAY gathered the
ban was to curb the
escalation of the violent
clashes by the members
of the two factions in the
state. Twelve persons
have been reportedly
killed and several others
injured in the five-day
running clash between
the two factions.
In a statement signed by
the National President of
the union, Alhaji Nojeem
Yasin, and General
Secretary, Comrade
Kingsley Uko, the union
had banned the duo from
contesting elections into
office of Lagos State
chapter of the NURTW.
Giving reasons for the
ban, the union said the
duo were suspended for
anti-union activities
which was meant to
create hitches in the
forthcoming state council
delegates’ conference.
The release reads in
part: “In a bid to gain
undue advantage over
other contestants, the
suspended duo have
been harassing and
intimidating other
contestants and voters.
In the long run, this might
lead to a breakdown of
law and order in the
state.”
The union urged
members not to succumb
to any acts of
intimidation, adding that
they should go about
their daily activities.
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