Osun State Police Command has confirmed a violent confrontation between rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, during protests held across parts of the state on Monday.
The unrest was reportedly triggered after members of one faction alleged that they were denied access to a motor park by the dominant group, a development that escalated into a clash between the two sides.
Reports also linked the protest to recent politically motivated killings in Osogbo, where two adults lost their lives in an attack last Wednesday, while a toddler later died from gunshot wounds sustained during the incident.
Associates of the victims reportedly accused the state NURTW chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle, of involvement in the attack, although the allegation has not been independently verified.
Earlier on Monday, members of the union staged demonstrations at major motor parks across Osun State, declaring a vote of no confidence in Alowonle’s leadership.
Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, in a statement issued on Monday evening, expressed concern over the violence and appealed to all parties to embrace peace.
According to the statement, officers responded immediately after receiving distress calls over the disturbance, which disrupted commercial activities and public order in parts of the state.
“Immediately the Police Command received the distress call about the incident that led to disruption of public peace and normal commercial activities, the Police swiftly swung into action and used minimal force to disperse the protesters and restore normalcy,” the statement read.
The police added that security personnel had been deployed to motor parks across the state to prevent a recurrence of the violence and maintain law and order.
The command urged members and leaders of the rival factions to end hostilities and seek peaceful means of resolving their grievances or channel their complaints through the appropriate authorities.
It also appealed to all stakeholders to avoid actions or comments capable of escalating tensions while relevant authorities determine the issues surrounding the management of the affected motor parks.
The police assured residents that security agencies would carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident, warning that anyone found culpable of violence or any other criminal offence would face the full weight of the law.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, advised residents to remain calm, go about their lawful activities without fear and support ongoing investigations by providing credible information to security agencies.
He also cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information capable of causing panic or worsening the situation.
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