Residents of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital were yesterday subjected to a harrowing experience when drivers’ unions? launched attacks on? commuters, motorists and motorcyclists.
The suspected hoodlums who claimed to be members of the state chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) were protesting the alleged arrest and detention of their chairman, Mr. Rotimi Olanbiwonnu.
RTEAN members were later joined by National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to unleash terror on motorists and commuters who defied their stay-at-home order.
Commercial motorcyclists cashed in on the crisis to hike their fares even as some of them were manhandled by the transport unions’ members.
Union sources told LEADERSHIP that Olanbiwonnu was arrested and detained for allegedly ordering the closure of a private transport company set up by the immediate past state chairman of the NURTW, Mr. Omolafe Aderiye.