Truckers Lament Against NURTW, RTEAN’s Extortions, Brutality In Lagos

Trucks owners and drivers under Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), has shown their displeasure against conduct of members of Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) who they claimed have been forcefully collecting money from them at Apapa port, daily.

They alleged that the unions and its members level of extortion at Apapa port were becoming alarming and that the manners at which thugs assault drivers who resist NURTW and RTEAN demands were nothing to write home about.

The truck owners stated that on a daily basis, members of their association are wrongly extorted and brutalized at 172 bus stops where they operate ranging from N2,000 to N10,000, describing the act as unhealthy and unlawful.

According to the association, the unruly behaviors of NURTW and RTEAN have been tolerated for a long time which necessitated the outburst of complains for a stop, adding that the welfare of their members was paramount and none of them should be treated badly.

Through a statement made available to newsmen on Monday and signed by the Chairman, NARTO Lagos State, Kayode Odunowo, and the Chairman, Taskforce, NARTO, Hassan Adekoya, to special adviser to Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka, the association threatened that they would be forced to take drastic actions to prevent the constant extortions and brutality of their members if the issue is not resolved by the government.

They emphasized that the unwholesome attitudes of NURTW and RTEAN have generated to breakdown of law and order, adding that as such it should be stopped to prevent their unlawful brutality and extortions.

Appealing to the special adviser for his intervention, they urged him to use his capability to ensure that the NURTW and RTEAN are called to order, commending his tireless effort in resolving similar issues amicably.

The letter read in part: “Following our Collaboration with the Ministry of Transport Lagos State, to bring sanity to roads and caution our members on parking the roads. We wish to bring to your attention, unwholesome attitude of some NURTW members and RTREAN agents in Lagos state.

“It is a notorious fact that members of the NURTW exhort our members of various sums of money in and around the port corridor and Lagos state ranging between 2,000 to 10,000 in each bus stop daily of over 172 bus stops.

“Our endurance is stretched and we will be forced to react sharply if this unhealthy practices is not looked into and resolved. Consequently we write to complain about this unwholesome attitude to your office emphasizing enough of the extortion and brutality of our members. We believe you are capable of putting a stop to this unruly behavior of members of NURTW and RTEAN in Lagos State before it generated to breakdown of law and order.”