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NURTW Crisis: Soldiers, Policemen Storm Agbado As MC Oluomo, Istijabah Boys Draw Battle Line

Published

4 years ago

April 18, 2022

Scores of policemen and soldiers stormed the Ijaiye Bus Stop in the Agbado area of the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Monday to forestall a clash between road transport unionists loyal to two factional leaders in the state: Musiliu Akinsanya popularly called MC Oluomo; and Azeez Abiola, aka Istijabah.

Our correspondent, who was at the bus stop, spotted about five patrol vans of security personnel who were on a joint mission in the area on Monday.

The fully armed policemen came in four patrol vans, while fierce-looking, gun-wielding soldiers stormed the bus stop in a van and remained there from morning till about 4pm when they left.

Our correspondent also observed as over 100 area boys and foot soldiers of both MC Oluomo and Istijabah seethed with rage as they stood just opposite the security agents.

A tricycle operator, who simply identified himself as David, told The PUNCH that the security agents got intelligence that MC Oluomo boys planned to violently take over the park controlled by Istijabah and his lieutenants.

“About 40 policemen and 12 soldiers came very this morning to prevent a clash between Istijabah and MC Oluomo boys.

“There would have been a violent clash if not for the presence of the security personnel who came in five vehicles,” he said.

The situation caused panic as traders shut their stalls over the fear of a possible clash between the two factions.

“We were terrified since morning and had to shut our shops and go back home. We just open now after the area boys and the soldiers left,” a Garri seller told our correspondent.

Efforts to reach MC Oluomo and Istijabah proved abortive as of press time.

When contacted, the spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, promised to revert but he was yet to do so as of press time.

It was earlier reported that MC Oluomo and Istijabah boys clashed last week in the Fagba, Ogba and Agege areas of Lagos over the control of parks and ticket sales.

MC Oluomo, formerly the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, and now the chairman of the Lagos State Parks Committee, has been embroiled in a protracted conflict with Istijabah, the state chairman of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, an affiliate union of NURTW.

MC Oluomo had rejected Istijabah as TOOAN chairman in the state and the national body of NURTW in Abuja had suspended him (MC Oluomo) which led to his withdrawal from the union and the suspension of NURTW by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu government.

The governor subsequently appointed MC Oluomo as the parks management committee chairman despite public outrage and warnings of fresh violence.

According to a 2021 report by the International Centre for Investigative Report, the Lagos chapter of NURTW generates about N123.08bn annually, which could service the annual budget of Nasarawa, Niger, and Yobe states put together.

PUNCH.

Related Topics:#Lagos State #NURTW MC Oluomo

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Bodies Of Terrorists Float In River As Boko Haram Murders 200 ISWAP Fighters [VIDEO]

Published

3 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The supremacy battle between the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP fighters and Boko Haram insurgents in the northern region has reportedly claimed about 200 lives of terrorists.

It was learnt that while about 200 ISWAP fighters were killed in the clash, four Boko Haram insurgents were also eliminated.

A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed this in a post on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing video of lifeless bodies of terrorists floating in a river.

“More bodies of ISWAP found after a deadly clash that resulted in the killing of 200 fighters by Boko Haram”, he wrote on X.

It was gathered that the rival clash took place on the shores of Lake Chad near Dogon Chiku in the Northeast on Sunday.

DAILY POST reports that since ISWAP began as a splinter group from Boko Haram in 2016, both factions have repeatedly clashed.

The Northeast has been one of the regions in the country that is highly bedeviled by the activities of the criminal elements.

Watch video here.

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[JUST IN] Terrorism: Nnamdi Kanu Appeals For Stay Of Proceedings Ahead Of Nov 20 Judgment

Published

4 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has filed an application at the Court of Appeal, praying for a stay of further proceedings in his trial before Justice James Omotosho of Abuja Federal High Court.

In the motion, Kanu urged the Appeal Court to stay delivery of judgment pending the determination of the appeal.

Kanu’s appeal may impact the 20th November date fixed for delivery of judgment in the trial.

He filed the motion on notice in pursuant to section 36(1) of the Nigerian constitution.

Recall that Justice Omotosho had fixed November 20 to deliver judgement in Kanu’s terrorism trial.

But the IPOB had contested the charge, stressing that he can’t be tried on the basis of a repealed law, the terrorism act.

Details soon…

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PAP Begins Second Phase Distribution Of Laptops To Scholarship Beneficiaries

Published

7 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has commenced the second phase of the distribution of laptops to its scholarship beneficiaries who were deployed for the 2024/2025 academic year to universities within Nigeria.

The exercise, which followed the directive of the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, is aimed at enhancing learning and research by the students in their various institutions.

A statement issued by Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, said
he first phase of the distribution was carried out between April and May, 2025, and over 663 final year scholarship beneficiaries received the mobile computing device.

During that exercise, the PAP also diligently undertook a physical verification and orientation programme for the beneficiaries in the resumption list for the 2024/2025 academic session.

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Speaking on the second phase of the distribution, Otuaro reiterated that his decision was informed by the usefulness of laptop to academic pursuit and overall success.

He also stated that the gesture was in fulfillment of his promise to the scholarship beneficiaries during his tour of partnering universities in 2024.

Otuaro expressed the hope that the mobile computing device would greatly support learning and research by the students and also help them achieve academic excellence.

He urged them to make good use of it and justify the Federal Government’s huge investment in their education.

The PAP boss also advised them to take their studies seriously and avoid acts capable of jeopardizing their academic pursuits and bright futures.

He said the PAP would continue to support the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme to achieve academic excellence.

He restated his leadership’s unwavering commitment to implementing the programme’s objectives for the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Otuaro further expressed profound appreciation to the President for supporting the PAP wholeheartedly, stressing that it shows his sincere love for the region and his strong desire to close the human capital development gap in the area.

He urged the youths and people of the region to return the President’s gesture by giving his administration the expected support in all areas.

He assured the President of his leadership’s unwavering commitment to complementing the renewed hope agenda in the Niger Delta by consolidating on the programme’s achievements.