Kwara: Five injured in transport unions clash

On Monday, a violent altercation erupted among members of rival transport unions in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, resulting in five injuries, according to the DAILY POST. The unrest commenced amid an alleged assault on the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) office, prompting residents and motorists to flee the vicinity of Idi-Araba and Itakudimo areas.

Witnesses recounted the scene, describing how youths armed with sharp weapons descended on the NARTO office, hurling stones at the building. One NARTO member, Abubakar Olatunbosun, accused 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) of initiating the attack as they journeyed to the Ilorin police headquarters.

Olatunbosun called on the state government to mediate the situation, asserting that NARTO adheres to the law and would not exercise vigilante justice, as Kwara is renowned for maintaining peace. The assault allegedly saw over 100 tricycles belonging to NARTO members confiscated by the opposing unions. A victim, Abdulwasiu Jamiu, alleged that union members forcibly seized their tricycles and inflicted injuries.

Another victim, Lukman Iyanda, who suffered a broken hand, reported being attacked near the Itakudimo area while operating his tricycle. However, an unnamed RTEAN member claimed NARTO lacks official recognition from the government. Contact was unsuccessful with representatives from the implicated unions for comment on this report.