By Gabriel Olawale

LAGOS—THE Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Association, COMTUA, weekend, expressed displeasure over how hoodlums and street urchins disrupt their business activities on Lagos roads, saying the association will not allow criminals to frustrate their efforts.

President of the association, Mr. Yinka Aroyewun, spoke at a briefing in Lagos, where he accused the Lagos State government, the Nigeria Police, and the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, of using the state security apparatus, as well as draconian regulations to frustrate their legitimate efforts.

Aroyewun also stated that efforts have been made by the leadership of COMTUA to nip the activities of the hoodlums in the bud but, however, noted that the state government prefers to look the other way.

The COMTUA boss said: “Something urgent needs to be done to forestall this bare rip-off which had turned our members to ordinary beggars amid plenty.

“You marvel that despite our efforts to be law-abiding in doing our legitimate business, we have been having issues with both the state and the non-state actors, who have been using the state security architecture to frustrate us out of business. Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA, the Nigerian Police and other security operatives are also culpable in frustrating our efforts to move from one destination to another. It is as bad as that.

“Even the management of the NPA is also part of the problems hindering the smooth running of our business, however, we cannot keep mute and allow the status quo to remain, while our members are dying in silence.

“Apart from alleged illegal extortions of members by both state and non-state actors, including security operatives, other issues raised by the leadership of COMTUA, include deliberate delay in the administration of justice by the Lagos state mobile court, irregularities in the activities of the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority and pure disregard to the law.”