Obalende: Police summon transport union leaders, arrest six

Olumuyiwa Adejobi

Police in Lagos say they have arrested six suspected hoodlums connected to the unrest in the Obalende area of the state.

Two rival transport unions – National Union of Road Transport Workers and the Road Transport Employers’ Association Of Nigeria – clashed in Obalende on Thursday, raising tension in the area.

In a statement, Lagos police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi assured that normalcy has been restored to the area and that the leaders of the warring unions have been invited for interrogation.

“The Command has deployed resources to disperse and suppress the hoodlums fomenting troubles at Obalende area of Lagos State. Normalcy has been restored to the area,” the statement reads.

“Based on preliminary findings, the crisis, that occurred today Thursday 11th February 2021, was between transport unions in the area and no life was lost.

“Six (6) suspected hoodlums have been arrested and handed over to state CID, Panti, Yaba for discreet investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has warned that the command will not condone any act of lawlessness and criminality in the state. He however directed the area commander Area A, Lion Building, ACP Bode Ojajuni, to intensify efforts on flushing the hoodlums out of the area and on the Lagos Island in general, with the available recourses deployed to the area command.

“The leaders of transport unions in the area, however, have been invited for interrogation and further actions.”