The Ondo State government has suspended the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) across all 18 local government areas of the state.
The suspension is Indefinite.
The suspension followed the death of an unidentified person on Tuesday during a clash involving some factional members of Ondo State chapter of the NURWT at Oja Oba area of Akure, the state capital.
A witness said the clash caused pandemonium at Oja Oba and some streets in Akure, as residents ran for their lives following sporadic gunshots by the warring members.
The incident came barely 48 hours after the unionists fought in the Owode area of the state, injuring many people.
Business and social activities were paralysed when the armed unionists faced one other, while vehicular movements were also halted in the affected areas for several hours.
Some vehicles were also said to have been vandalised by the fighters, but the cause of the dispute was still unknown as of the time of filing this report.
While reacting to the matter, senior special sssistant to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on special duties and strategy, Doyin Odebowale, ordered the NURTW members to immediately vacate all motor parks across the state.
He described the clash as unruly and uncultured behavior, which resulted in violent attacks on members and the innocent residents.
“The indefinite suspension did not affect the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, who comported themselves in a peaceful manner,” the governor’s aide added.
The state government had earlier ordered the suspension of the NURTW and RTEAN for two weeks over a purported plan of their members to engage in violence.
The state police public relations officer, Tee-Leo Ikoro, said the investigation had commenced into the incident and some men of the command had been drafted to the area to restore normalcy.
