By Our Correspondent
The peace at Ikorodu Motor Park came to an abrupt end as some Union leaders yesterday lay siege on the leadership of the National Union Of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, killing It's Chairman Samuel Adebayo and two others while others were injured with vehicles destroyed.
The attack on the Ikorodu Park was meant for leadership change as it's the customs of the motor parks to shed blood while transiting to other leadership.
Our Correspondent gathered that apart from the death of the Chairman and two others, about twenty vehicles were damaged, while nine people were injured in Ikorodu when members of a transport union engaged themselves in a bloody clash.
The incidents occurred at the main motor park where Samuel Adebayo held sway as Chairman, where various dangerous weapons, charms and other missiles were used by members of the National Union of Road transport Union (NURTW) .
Residents who have one thing to do with the park were seen running helter-skelter for their lives, and scampered to safety in order not to be caught in the violence.
A witness to the incident, One Sufiyanu Akorede said the violence broke out when some members with an intent to take control from the incumbent executives led by Samuel Adebayo, stormed the motor park and seize control of it after it had killed the Chairman, Samuel Adebayo.
The witness said the 'Coupists' overpowered those loyal to Samuel Adebayo and other Executive members, killed him instantly and went after his allies including one Popoola Kehinde Samuel, who sells spare part in the park, and who many believed has access to the Union accounts of the union.
“During the melee, they caught the drivers at Ikorodu who were mainly drivers of Abuja-bound buses by surprise. Nobody expected them at that time. They created fears and panic amongst the residents of this area. It was like a war zone,” the witness said.
He said the attackers who had the backing of the government had vowed to do everything possible at ensuring that they deal with all allies including the supporters of the slained Chairman, because of their belief that they have asses to the Union accounts and spending.
He said Popoola Kehinde Samuel, a spare parts seller at the Park knew much of the Union finances, and he should know that he is toying with fire as the new leadership is very close to the Musiliu Akinsanya led State Chairman is very close to the Nigerian President, President Bola Tinubu, he may use Federal might to deal with him.
He said it was illegal for these people to forcefully seize control of the motor parks from the “authentic executives” of the NURTW in the Park.
He expressed regret that apart from the killings of the Chairman and others, many members of the Union were injured and several vehicles belonging to them were vandalized during the violence.
“If we had known that they were coming, we would have removed all our vehicles from the motor parks. The Chairman would not have reported early that day. They have vandalized many of our vehicles worth hundreds of millions of Naira. We could not engage them in a fight because of our huge investments in these vehicles. Some of them were procured from loans obtained from banks,” he stated.
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