The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday assured Lagos State residents to go about their daily activities without fear, saying it has deployed “massive” patrol teams in every nook and cranny of the state to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a chat with Punch, said the command received unconfirmed reports that aggrieved members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers planned a protest in strategic places in the state.

He said,

We cannot take chances. We have done massive deployment of police patrol teams to every nook and cranny including parks and garages in the state. There is no cause for alarm.

The national body of the union last Thursday had suspended its Lagos State Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, following weeks of protracted conflict and leadership tussle.

Akinsanya subsequently announced his withdrawal and that of lieutenants from the union. He also directed them to stop issuing NURTW tickets at parks and garages.

MC Oluomo’s suspension by the national body of the union was announced in a letter dated March 9, 2022, and signed by NURTW General Secretary, Kabiru Yau.

He was accused of acts of insubordination and gross misconduct, as well as plotting to instigate crisis and unleash mayhem on branches of the union in Lagos that refuse to obey his alleged directive not to take orders from NURTW national headquarters.

On Tuesday, authorities of the Lagos State Police Command warned NURTW members against any planned protest in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Abiodun Alabi, gave the warning on Tuesday, saying the police would not condone any form of protest by any group.

He, however, assured residents of the state that the police had put additional security measures in place to forestall any breakdown of law and order in any part of the state.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.