Connect with us

Headlines

Hoodlums kill 10 truck drivers, injure 20 others, vandalise trucks in seven months on Lagos roads—COMTUA laments

Adeyinka Aroyewun
The Eyewitness Reporter
The President of the Council of Maritime Truck Unions and Association (COMTUA) Mr Adeyinka Aroyewun,  has condemned the wilful vandalisation of his members’ trucks by hoodlums on Lagos road while calling on the state government to intervene in the matter.
Speaking during a virtual interactive session with the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Aroyewun disclosed that the association had made several appeals to the Lagos State Government, the Nigeria Police Force as well as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), over the menace to no avail, while lamenting the negative impact the destruction has on the business of truck owners.
“We have been crying about this and I have made a lot of submissions on this, we have written over 50 letters appealing to the government to weed the vandals off the road”.
He revealed that while some members of the association were insured, others are not insured.
“We are working on this, educating our members on the importance of insurance. We have also written to the Nigerian Insurance Association of Nigeria to partner with them to be able to be part of the enforcement team and their pubic enlightenment team”.
He said the level of damage on the COMTUA’S trucks has been tremendous.
”As we speak, they still vandalized trucks today. They will still vandalize it tomorrow because the extortion points and points of vandalisation have not been removed by the government.
“We have seen the Lagos State Government and the NPA removing shanties and they claimed they were removing hoodlums and extortion points on the roads.
They concluded this on Sunday and everything has returned this morning. “We cannot estimate what we have lost to vandalism.”
He however claimed that COMUTUA has lost over 10 members who were killed this year. Also, over 20 members have been seriously injured by the hoodlums.
“We  are still pleading with the government to ensure that we get justice.”
He said in the amalgamated unions which formed COMUTUA, there are 11 unions and associations as at it stands. “It used to be seven and four have voluntarily tendered their resignation.
“We have seven other associations that have joined COMUTUA, our national Congress as we do it every year, we take in November,” Aroyewun stated that congestion is still hampering the association’s activities.
“We are reviewing our Memorandum of Understanding from time to time. It’s not about the dissolution of COMUTUA, new members are coming in.
”While some members feel there is no need to remain in the collaboration, some still see reason to remain in the collaboration. To remain in this, we are forming a new alliance with the Lagos State Government.
“COMUTUA is what it was and we are doing everything possible to improve the lives of our people.” he declared.
According to him, membership of COMTUA is guided by the association’s Memorandum of Association. He said any member that breaches the regulation is always sanctioned.
“In 2020, COMTUA expelled the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria
(RTNW) for extortion.
”Before the expulsion, several letters were written to warn them, but they believe they are above the law.
“Therefore, COMTUA did not hesitate to expel them from the association. Others are sanctioned for not obeying traffic rules and regulations”
He said COMTUA assists the government to ensure that there is sanity on the roads.
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headlines

Sallah celebration: Osun govt offers free train ride to indigenes as NRC increases Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips for Sallah

Gloria Odion, maritime reporter 
The Osun State government has made full payment to the Nigerian Railway Corporation( NRC) for the use of its narrow gauge rail services to transport the indigenes of the state free of charge for the Sallah celebration.
The annual gesture was confirmed by the management of the Corporation while announcing a temporary increase  in train services on the Lagos–Ibadan Train Service (LITS) corridor for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, ahead of the Sallah celebration.
The NRC revealed that the Osun government free train ride will be on its narrow gauge corridor.
The special train will depart from Iddo Station, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, while the return trip from Osogbo to Lagos will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
The service, which is usually operated during festive periods, is being sponsored by the Osun State Government through a paid arrangement with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to convey Osun indigenes free of charge for the Sallah celebration.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has announced an adjustment to its schedule on its Lagos–Ibadan Train Service (LITS) corridor for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, ahead of the Sallah
The temporary adjustment is aimed at accommodating the expected increase in passenger movement as many Nigerians travel to celebrate the festive season with their families and loved ones.
Under the special arrangement, the Corporation will operate six train trips on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, instead of the usual four trips currently operated on the corridor.
For the day, train departures from the Lagos end will be at 7:45am, 1:40pm and 4:00pm, while departures from the Ibadan end will be at 8:00am, 10:50am and 4:30pm.
The Management clarified that this arrangement is strictly temporary and applies only to the Sallah travel period.
 Immediately after the celebration, the normal Tuesday timetable of four trips will resume.
Similarly, the recently introduced Thursday six-trip operations will be temporarily adjusted next week, as only four trips will operate on Thursday May,  28th during the period under review.
The regular six-trip Thursday schedule will however resume the following week.
The NRC reassured passengers of its commitment to providing safe, efficient and reliable rail transportation services across the country and wishes all Nigerians a peaceful and memorable Sallah celebration.
Continue Reading

Headlines

NRC expresses fresh concerns over consistent railway vandalism in the North 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has raised serious concern over renewed and coordinated attacks on railway infrastructure in parts of the country.
This followed fresh incidents of vandalism recorded in Plateau and Bauchi States.
The Corporation described the disturbing development as a direct attack on critical national infrastructure and an affront on public safety, economic growth and national security.
In one of the latest incidents recorded on May 21, 2026, a truck reportedly loaded with vandalized railway materials became stuck between Kuru and Science School, Kuru in Plateau State, exposing the dangerous activities of criminal elements involved in the destruction and illegal movement of railway materials.
Similarly, along Zango, in Bauchi State, between Kilometer 878 and 889, railway slippers were completely removed on both sides of a level crossing, leaving behind few disjointed rail pieces.
The Corporation warned that such acts could result in catastrophic train accidents, disruption of rail services, loss of lives and destruction of government investments worth billions of naira.
The NRC emphasized that railway tracks, slippers, clips, fastenings and signaling materials are critical national assets built with taxpayers’ money to facilitate transportation, trade, economic activities and national development, and should never be treated as scraps for illegal business.
The Managing Director/CEO of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, strongly condemned the persistent attacks on railway facilities, describing the trend as sabotage against national progress and a serious threat to the safety of passengers and railway personnel.
According to him, the increasing incidents of vandalism in the North Central and North East corridors indicate a dangerous pattern that requires urgent collective action from security agencies, state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents living along railway lines.
Dr. Opeifa appealed to Nigerians to see railway infrastructure as a national symbol and strategic economic asset that must be protected at all times.
He warned vandals, scrap dealers and individuals involved in the illegal purchase, movement or destruction of railway materials to desist immediately, stressing that anyone caught would face the full weight of the law.
The Corporation also called on security agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations around railway corridors nationwide, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around railway facilities.
Continue Reading

Headlines

NIMASA opens investigation into vessels collision accident at Bonny anchorage as five crew members sustain injuries 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Administration(NIMASA) has opened a full scale investigation into the accident which occurred as a result of a collision between a container vessel, MV MAERSK VALPARAISO, and an oil tanker, MT LADY MARTINA, at the Bonny Inner Anchorage.

The accident which occurred on May 20th, 2026, has triggered a flurry of activities,  has resulted in an oil spill in the affected area.

The Deep Blue Operating Base (FOB) in Bonny received a distress call at approximately 1130 hours regarding the collision involving MV Valparaiso, a Singapore-flagged container vessel with IMO No. 9433054, and MT Lady Martina, a Nigerian-flagged oil products tanker with IMO No. 5104033.
In response, the Base immediately deployed 10 armed personnel onboard DB 214, one of the interceptor boats under the Deep Blue Project, to the scene of the incident.
Five crew members onboard MT Lady Martina sustained varying degrees of injuries and were promptly evacuated to the FOB Bonny sickbay for medical attention.

Following the collision, MT Lady Martina drifted ashore and is currently aground along the Bonny Channel, while MV Valparaiso remains grounded at the Bonny Inner Anchorage pending damage assessment and further investigation.

The management of MAERSK has officially reported the incident to the Agency.

Consequently, the Director General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, has ordered a full investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the collision.

In addition, NIMASA has established a Situation Monitoring Room to coordinate response efforts and monitor developments arising from the incident.

Dr. Mobereola, who was personally on ground in Rivers State to inaugurate the situation room,  also directed the Agency’s Marine Environment Management Department to immediately commence an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the affected area, while taking necessary steps to mitigate the impact of the Tier 1 oil sheen and protect the marine environment.

NIMASA promised to  update the public with the outcome of the investigation into the incident.

Continue Reading

Trending