Truckers operating in the nation’s maritime industry under the auspices of the Council for Maritime Truck Unions and Associations have written to the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over four missing members.
The group in a letter on Tuesday, titled, ‘Illegal possession of firearms, suspected murder, kidnapping, vandalism of properties and breakdown of law and order’ signed by the Vice-president, Operations, COMTUA, Muideen Olapade, said that their members while trying to ensure sanity in the movement of their truck at Mile 2, were attacked by hoodlums suspected to be ECOMOG boys.
They said that the hoodlums wielding illegal arms ranging from firearms, cutlasses, charms and all sorts of illegal ammunition attacked members of the association and injured some of the members beyond recognition while four other members are still missing.
“Today, December 13, 2022, a large number of persons belonging to our association, while monitoring the activities and passage of trucks belonging to our members, on the road, as well as ensuring members’ compliance to regulations stipulated for the purposes of easing the traffic gridlock around Mile 2 axis were met with strong oppositions from the hoodlums suspected to be ECOMOG boys led by one Hotwater.
These hoodlums wielding illegal arms ranging from firearms, cutlasses, charms and all sorts of illegal ammunition attacked members of our association and injured some of our members beyond recognition. Till the time of this letter, about four of our members are currently missing.”
The group said that the hoodlums defiled the presence of officers of the Nigeria Police Force and still attacked their members.
“It is worthy of note that Area E command FESTAC of the Nigerian Police Force, accompanied our members to Mile 2 prior to this unfortunate incident.
“However, despite the presence of the police, these hoodlums belittled the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian law and the legal system and also said that no one would stop them from continuing their illegal activities cum criminalities.
“As we speak, there is a breakdown of law and order as well as a series of injuries and harm done to persons and properties.
“We hereby implore your office to take swift actions within the confines of your duty to come to our aid and restore law and order by employing the powerful hand of the law against these hoodlums.”