National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Olabode Adaramola
The Niger State Government has said it will no longer fold its hands and allow individuals, groups of persons and communities in parts of the state to take Law into their hands and cause a breach of the peace in the state.
The State’s Acting Governor , Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso made the declaration on Sunday in Minna ,after an emergency ,meeting with heads of Security agencies in the state at the Government House, Minna while directing security agencies to with immediate effect commence investigation into the bloody clash between the state chapters of NURTW and their counterparts RTEAN that led to a breakdown of law and order and the death of one of the union members while another one sustained serious injuries.
Ketso, also directed security agencies to effect the arrests of the culprits in the clash for possible prosecution of the suspects.
The directive, was coming on the heels of the last Saturday’s bloody faceoff between members of the Niger State chapters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers {NURTW} and their counterparts Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria at the Abdulsalam Abubakar Motor Park, Minaa that lead to the death of one of the feuding union members while another one sustained critical injuries and now on admission at the General Hospital Minna for medical Treatment.
National Wire leaent that hell was let loose in Minna, the Niger state capital on Saturday morning when members of the two transport unions engaged each other in a free for all fight at the Abdulsalami Abubakar motor park situated along Minna-Suleja road, which had led to the suspension of commercial activities at the park, as security agents have sealed up the motor park shortly after the bloody fracas in order to avoid further casualties.
According to an eye witness account, the trouble started at about 10am-10:30 am on the fateful Saturday when a son of a popular car dealer in Minna, simply refers to as Etsu Gwari was attacked by a member of the NURTW over a pending issue and was said to have collapsed.
The source who craved anonymity in a brief chat with the our reporter on Sunday in Minna disclosed further that on hearing the news of the attacks on the son of the Automobile dealer, that his people mobilized in their large number and stormed the motor park, destroying everything in sight and unleashed terror on members of the NURTW, leaving one person critically injured and vehicles and other properties worth hundreds of thousands of Naira vandalized.
Meanwhile, the Acting Governor, in a Press statement by his Press Secretary, Hajiya Maimuna Kolo, on Sunday in Minna , expressed dismay over the unfortunate incidence which occurred at Abdulsalam Garrage Minna, between members of NURTW and RTEAN and members of the National Association of Road Transport Owners in the state which claimed one life .
The release, a copy of which was obtained by the NationalWire on Sunday in Minna stated that the Acting Governor Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Keetso has set also up a committee to be chaired by the state Commissioner of Works and Transport, to identify parks and garages in the state and to ensure that all commercial vehicles operate within the vicinity of such parks.
This, the release stated was imperative , as the state government was planning to work out modalities for operations of road transport unions in the state , highlighting that other members of the committee include the three transport union leaders namely :NARTO, RTEAN and NURTW, security agencies in the state and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet and Security.
“Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, also directed the Commissioner of Works and Transport to work out modalities for peacefulco-existence of the three unions: i.e. NARTO, RTEAN and NURTW in the state and submit their report back to the government by Wednesday, this week.
“The meeting also reminded Nigerlites that the ban on the usage of all Motorcycles from 6pm- 7am is still in force and called on the citizens residents in the state to abide by such ban and further urged security agencies to step up action on traffic light violators, ” the release concluded .
