Osun State Governor, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, has ordered the immediate suspension of all activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) across motor parks in the state, directing security agencies to arrest anyone operating in the name of the union.
The directive followed a meeting of the Osun State Security Council held on Wednesday at the Government House, Osogbo, to review the security situation in the state following the recent leadership crisis within the NURTW.
The meeting was attended by top security chiefs, including representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), the Army, Air Force, Navy, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Amotekun Corps, as well as the Deputy Governor, Chief of Staff, Commissioner for Information and Special Adviser on Security Matters.
After deliberations, Adeleke directed the police and other security agencies to halt all NURTW operations in motor parks across Osun State with immediate effect.
The governor clarified that the directive does not amount to the closure of motor parks but is aimed at preventing anyone from carrying out union activities or collecting levies in the parks until further notice.
“I hereby direct the Police and other security agents to stop all activities of the union in all our parks across the state. I am not saying you should close the parks, but you should not allow anyone to operate in the parks in the name of the union.
“Anyone found contravening this order should be arrested for possible prosecution for disturbance of public peace,” Adeleke said.
He also ordered the immediate establishment of a joint Rapid Response Squad comprising all security agencies in the state to enforce the directive and maintain law and order at motor parks.
Responding, the security chiefs assured the governor of their commitment to enforcing the order and preventing any breakdown of law and order.
The latest directive comes days after violent clashes arising from the NURTW leadership crisis prompted the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State Chapter, to suspend the union’s leadership and appoint a caretaker management committee to oversee its affairs.
As part of the interim arrangement, Chief Kazeem Oyewale popularly known as Asiri Eniba was appointed caretaker chairman of the NURTW in Osun State, alongside other caretaker executives.
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