Pandemonium broke out in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Monday when members of rival transport unions clashed. The violent outburst left at least five people injured and needing hospital care. Activities were disrupted around the Idi-Araba and Itakudimo areas.
The chaos reportedly began when youths, armed with cutlasses and other weapons, arrived in tricycles. They headed towards the office of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). Residents watched as some of them started throwing stones at the building, escalating the tension.
A member of NARTO, Abubakar Olatunbosun, accused the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) of launching the attack. Olatunbosun claimed the incident happened as NARTO members were on their way to the Kwara State Police Headquarters. They were seeking intervention over an existing dispute.
"We were on our way to the police headquarters when we were attacked by members of the other unions," Olatunbosun stated. He added that over 100 tricycles belonging to NARTO members were seized. He appealed to the state government to step in before the situation gets worse. He insisted his association would pursue legal means for redress.
Two injured individuals, Abdulwasiu Jamiu and Lukman Iyanda, corroborated the account of violence and theft. Jamiu claimed several tricycle operators were attacked and injured. Their vehicles were forcefully taken. Iyanda, who sustained an injury to his hand, said he was attacked while working in Itakudimo.
This clash comes at a time of simmering tension over tricycle operations and the control exerted by various transport unions across the state. The Kwara State Financial Secretary for the Tricycle Riders, Abdullahi Abdulraheem, expressed frustration over alleged directives from the Commissioner for Transportation, Aliyu Korasabi. These directives reportedly led to the seizure of tricycles operating on major roads.
Abdulraheem explained that this crackdown has made it impossible for many riders to earn a living. "We have chosen to work for our daily bread. We don't want to engage in theft, banditry or any other illegal activity, but we are being deprived of the opportunity to work," he said. He also pointed to a court order that he claims permits tricycle operators to work without harassment or interference from any agency.
Another tricycle operator, Mustapha Abdulateef, highlighted that the high cost of union tickets, coupled with police harassment, has pushed some operators to join NARTO. They believe it offers better protection for their interests. He advocated for the government to allow operators to join any union they prefer.
Abdulateef also accused officials from the state Ministry of Transportation of disrupting a meeting of riders and damaging office equipment. He noted that NARTO has been helping unemployed youths acquire tricycles through installment plans. This has created jobs and supported livelihoods.