Security men, including soldiers and policemen, on Monday, forestalled a clash between loyalists of the newly appointed Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, and the Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Azeez Ajibola, aka Istijabah, in Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident happened around the Ijaiye Bus Stop, Agbado, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
One of our correspondents, who was at the bus stop, spotted about five patrol vans of security personnel who were on a joint mission in the area.
The security personnel were said to have remained in the area till about 4pm as over 100 louts, who were said to be foot soldiers of both MC Oluomo and Istijabah, stood opposite the security agents.
A tricycle operator, identified simply as David, said the security agents got intelligence that MC Oluomo’s boys planned to take over transport union parks controlled by Istijabah in the area.
“About 40 policemen and 12 soldiers came early 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.
Our correspondents gathered that 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 opened after the area boys and the soldiers left,” the trader told one of our correspondents.
Contacted, Istijabah said despite several complaints to the state government, MC Oluomo’s boys had taken over 25 of the 45 parks controlled by TOOAN.
He said, “There was no fight this morning; what happened was that MC Oluomo’s boys wanted to take over parks in the area, but they did not come because they knew that we were prepared.
“MC Oluomo’s boys have taken over parks in about 25 branches out of the 45 branches controlled by TOOAN. We have been avoiding violence and complaining to the state government; that was why he was able to take over all those parks.
“Instead of him having a dialogue with the chairmen of the parks, he refused and his boys have been hijacking the parks and putting people from other local government areas and in the movie industry to control the parks. This will cause problems and we will no longer allow it.”
Jimoh Buari, the spokesperson for MC Oluomo, said his boss never gave any directive to anyone to take over parks in the state.
He said, “MC Oluomo never gave a directive to violently take over parks in the area. He has stated that this issue is not about fighting and he still mentioned it during our meeting this morning.
“He (MC Oluomo) said a letter of invitation would soon be extended to those in charge of parks and garages in Lagos State and we have a video record of him making the statement.”
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