Osun Transport Workers stage protest, demand investigation into NURTW factional chairman
By Ismail Azeez
Members of the transport union in Osun State staged protests across major motor parks on Monday, passing a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the factional state chairman of the union, Nurudeen Alowonle.
The protesters comprising members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), non-governmental organizations, and students—converged at Freedom Park and marched through Old Garage, MDS, Olaiya, and Aregbe.
They carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “Osun Is Not Safe Under the Leadership of Alowonle as NURTW Chairman,” “Our Local Government Must Control Parks and Garages,” and “Ademola Adeleke, Save the Soul of Osun People. Our Lives Matter! Let Alowonle Face Justice.”
The protesters alleged that Alowonle has become a security threat to the union, claiming his activities have disrupted transportation businesses across the state and endangered the safety of passengers.
According to them, the actions of Alowonle and his associates have driven many union members out of business, as commuters have lost confidence in the safety of public transportation.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, a factional leader of the NURTW, Alhaji Fatai Oyegoke, alleged that Alowonle’s actions have crippled transport businesses in the state.
He noted that the factional chairman’s conduct, particularly regarding political matters, has negatively affected the livelihoods of transport workers and warned that, if left unchecked, it could further destabilize the peace of the state.
Oyegoke stated, “We are out this morning to call the attention of the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to the crisis in the Osun NURTW. Alowonle has ignited an unnecessary crisis in the state’s transportation system and is alleged to be in possession of arms and ammunition. We can no longer do our business, which is our only means of livelihood.”
“For the past five days, Sikiru Oyeniyi, also known as Ado Igbona, and Alowonle were alleged to have spearheaded the killing of Adelodun Olamilekan Lateef and many others. As a result, there have been retaliatory attacks across motor parks in Osun. We have been living in fear and can no longer carry out our transportation business. Police, other security agencies, and non-state actors have been attacking motor parks on a daily basis.”
“To protect our buses and ensure public safety, we call on the police and other security agencies to secure our motor parks, protect our businesses, and guarantee the safety of transport workers.”
Oyegoke urged the police to intensify efforts to arrest Alowonle and Sikiru Oyeniyi, alleging they were behind the recent killings that have created panic and heightened security concerns across motor parks in the state.
Meanwhile, the factional secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Osun State, Akeem Kareem, accused the state government of being partisan in its handling of the union’s affairs, alleging that members who are not aligned with the ruling party are being treated unfairly.
Kareem added that members have lost confidence in the leadership of state chairman Comrade Jelili Abioye, insisting they no longer want him to lead the union.
Also speaking during the protest, the Director of Mobilization for the Local Government Development Initiative (LGDI), Comrade Omololu Abidoye, described the situation as an indictment of the police and other security agencies, calling for their immediate intervention.
Abidoye emphasized that the peace and security of Osun State should take precedence over political interests or leadership disputes within the transport union.
He said, “We cannot continue to remain silent. Alowonle is alleged to have spearheaded the killing of Lateef Olamilekan, a NANS comrade, which is our primary concern. An innocent toddler and a man in his 70s were also shot on the same day, and Alowonle allegedly led the attack. If individuals are responsible for disturbing the peace of the state and disrupting the public transport system that many ordinary people rely on, we must speak out. That is why we joined this protest: to demand justice for the victims of these killings and to call on the police to protect motor parks and other public facilities.”
“The leadership of Alowonle and Oyeniyi (Ado Igbona) must be investigated and restrained to ensure public safety. They must step down.”