Kwara: Five injured in transport unions clash
Five Injured in Union Clash in Ilorin
ILORIN, Kwara State — Five individuals sustained injuries during a violent confrontation between rival transport unions in the Ilorin metropolis on Monday, according to reports from DAILY POST.
The clashes disrupted activities in the Idi-Araba and Itakudimo areas after an alleged attack on the office of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). As the situation escalated, many residents and motorists fled the vicinity.
Witnessing the altercation, local resident Mubaraq Bello described the scene, stating that he and his family were at home when they observed a group of youths disembarking from tricycles, armed with cutlasses and other weapons. He noted that the group approached the NARTO office, with some members reportedly throwing stones at the building.
Abubakar Olatunbosun, a NARTO member, claimed that members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and the Tricycle Owners’ Association of Nigeria (TOAN) attacked them while they were en route to the police headquarters in Ilorin. Olatunbosun urged the state government to intervene, asserting that NARTO members respect the law and wish to maintain peace in Kwara.
Olatunbosun also alleged that over 100 tricycles belonging to NARTO members had been seized by rival unions.
One victim, Abdulwasiu Jamiu, reported that he and others were attacked, resulting in injuries and the theft of their tricycles. Another victim, Lukman Iyanda, who suffered a broken arm, said he was assaulted while operating his tricycle in the Itakudimo area.
A representative from RTEAN, who requested anonymity, countered that NARTO is an unregistered association not recognized by the government.
Attempts to reach representatives of the other unions involved in the incident for comment were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
