Taskforce Arrests 33 NURTW Members, 'Agbero' Over Extortion

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The Lagos State Taskforce on Environment (Enforcement) Unit has arrested 30 members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and three other street urchins over illegal collection of fees from motorists on the highway.

The NURTW members were arrested at different locations in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, such as Idumota, Oshodi and Ikeja, P.M.NEWS learnt.

The taskforce officials swooped on the union members unannounced, having received complaints from the public over undue extortion by the union members who were supposed to collect fees only at garages and parks.

The armed taskforce officials arrested and hauled them into the Black Maria and conveyed to their at Alausa, Ikeja office.

When P.M.NEWS asked why the union members and agberos were arrested, the Taskforce Chairman, Supol Bayo Sulaiman said there had been public outcry over illegal collection of fees from motorists by union members.

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He said this was why the taskforce had to act swiftly to arrest the situation and sanitise the system, adding that for too long, the union members had constituted a nuisance to the public by collecting illegal fees rather than stay in their parks to collect fees.

According to him, any fee collected outside motor parks was illegal and punishable according to the law, adding that government would no longer fold its hands and allow this to continue.

“The exercise is a continuous one and I have spoken with the union leaders and their chairman on the issue,” he stated, adding that anyone arrested collecting illegal fees would be charged to court. Over 250 area boys have been arrested in various parts of the state for acts that constitute a breach of pubic peace and harassment of innocent Lagosians.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga

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