Task Force Chairman, CSP Jejeloye Calls For Truce Over Commercial Drivers Protest

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force on environmental offences, CSP Shola Jejeloye, on Wednesday met with executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alimosho branch and called for amicable solutions to the issues creating friction between the transport workers and the Task Force officials in the State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports this is coming on the heels of protest by commercial drivers over the alleged killing of their members for the past two weeks, which the Task Force boss has denied.

Business activities were crippled for the better part of yesterday following the protest by the commercial drivers as they ensured no vehicle was allowed to operate in some areas in the State.

Some of the areas included: Iyana Ipaja, Egbeda, Igando, Iba and others, where the Chairman of the Task Force, Jejeloye, stopped periodically to address commercial bus drivers over their grievances and urged them to return to work.

The Task Force boss was said to be worried over the incessant protest by the drivers, which portrayed something against his leadership and he decided to reach to the aggrieved drivers under the NURTW.
It was not confirmed if the drivers accepted his plea but the drivers were said to be angry over the death of their members.

However, the peaceful protest by some of the commercial bus drivers in the Local Government areas was eventually hijacked by some hoodlums, who capitalized on it to disrupt traffic and molest innocent commuters.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that 16 suspects were arrested and detained by the Police for allegedly breaching public peace, which is a criminal offence under Lagos State laws. Some students were disrupted from attending holiday lessons while business people were not allowed access to their goods from the market.

According to Police sources, those arrested may likely be charged before the Court for the breach of public peace.

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