By Ifeanyi Okolie

Barely one month after the Lagos State Government instituted a panel of highly placed security chiefs to investigate the lingering civil unrest which ravaged most parts of the state, many Lagosians were shocked to witness last week another bloody clash in the city, an indication that there is as yet no end to ugly episode.

The panel headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) in the State Police Command, Babatunde Sobulo, was mandated, amongst other things, to investigate the increasing spate of crisis in areas like Mushin, Bariga, Fadeyi, Ilaje and Somolu, which have been embroiled in a fierce battle for supremacy by warring factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.

The security chiefs were also mandated by the State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, to find peaceful and amicable solution to the lingering crisis in these areas. In that vein, warring factions of the NURTW, in those areas were invited to a parley at the Round House, in the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

Among leaders of the warring factions present at the peace talk were a septuagenarian, Taoheed Farombi aka Baba Aladom, who was a patron of the Union Mushin branch; Toba, who heads the union’s Idi-Oro units and one Femi, who heads the Fadeyi branch and one Kabiru aka KB, who represented a splinter group from the Fadeyi faction. The ex-state chairman of the NURTW was also present at the meeting.

*People running for dear lives during the clash by rival factions of the NURTW

During the meetings it was agreed that warring factions should sheathe their swords and lay down their weapons for peace to return in these areas.

Police sources told Vanguard Metro, VM, that members of some warring factions were happy to see an end to the lingering fracas and they quickly laid down their arms, even though some other factions were yet to do same.

Following the peace talk, peace has reportedly returned to Mushin and the residents are no longer troubled by sporadic bloody clashes among these rival factions.

But the authorities are presently trying to come to terms with recent news of renewed fighting by factions within the Isolo Ejigbo Branch of the NURTW.

The development is one that is treatening to cause a breakdown of law and order, possibly leading to serious security breaches similar to that experienced in pasts of Mushin and its environs.

The Wednesday clash at the Cele Motor Park along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, which was allegedly orchestrated by an ousted chairman of the branch, soon degenerated into a gun battle as the hoodlums shot sporadically in the course of the fight.

Many innocent passersby were hit by flying bullets as the rampaging hoodlums engaged in this bloody fight-for-finish.

The Cele incident is believed by many to be a fallout of an attempt by the ousted chairman Lateef Nosiru a.k.a. Oluomo Cele, to reclaim his lost office.

Some union members who were attacked by the armed hoodlums alleged that the ousted chairman has been harassing and intimidating members of the opposition with the support of police men and soldiers attached to the Operation Messer.

A member of the branch, Bolaji Olushola told VM that the branch was forced to oust their chairman when his attitude became unbearable to other members of the branch.

“He left us no other option than to impeach him from office. His behaviours at one time ran contrary to the constitution of the union and every one was so scared of him because he has the backing of the ex- union chairman of the state. Everyone was so scared of his activities and so nobody was ready to confront him.

During one of the general meetings at the union headquarters, he invaded the place with some armed thugs to instill fear in his opponent. On another occasion, some policemen from Area D Command swooped on them and arrested both the chairman and some of his supporters and they subsequently charged them to court and they were remanded in prison.

They managed to secure their bail, but I am sure they vowed to fight back and reclaim their office, and when they got out they resumed fighting us. What you witnessed last week could be the beginning of a very long war like what we have seen in Mushin and other parts of the state”.

But as if in anticipation of what was to happen, the police at the Isolo area had earlier deployed an armoured personnel carrier at Cele Bus Stop just before the outbreak of hostilities.

However, the rampaging hoodlums were not deterred by this as they stormed Cele motor park in three vans with some policemen providing backing for them. Their arrival in this manner and indiscriminate shootings caused a major stampede as traders, commuters and motorists plying the route fled in various directions. Some were even forced to abandon their vehicles as they ran for safety.

Following the incident, the state government has been charged by traders and residents to intervene urgently to forestall further bloodshed in the area. They would also want government to step up security in the area to avoid a re-enacted of the ugly episodes witnessed in Mushin.

Tochukwu Ugwu, a trader at Isolo Bus-stop, during a chat with VM , called on the authorities to tackle security challenges seriously.

“I live at Idi-Araba area in Mushin and I trade here in Isolo. Over the years, life has not been so nice for residents in that area, due to the incessant fighting and bloodshed by factions fighting for control of tolls collection in the area.

And I have seen many people die and some others got maimed in the process. I pray residents in this area do not suffer a similar fate. I hope the authorities will quickly intervene the situation”.