Relief for Lagos bus drivers, as court directs Lagos govt, MC Oluomo to halt collection of levies

The Ikoyi Federal High Court on Tuesday ordered Musiliu Akinsanya, alias MC Oluomo, the Chairman of the Lagos State Park and Garages Management, and eight others to stop collecting levies from commercial bus drivers.

The order was issued in response to an ex parte application submitted by Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, a lawyer.

The application was submitted on behalf of the lawyer and a new transport union, the Transport Union Society of Nigeria.

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) Alhaji Lawal Othman, the Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director of State Security Service (SSS) are among the other respondents in the suit.

Ogungbeje asked the court to stop the respondents from “forcing the imposition, collection, or extortion of any transport union levies, dues, fees, or monies from any person, commercial vehicle driver, and/or transporter who is not a member of the respondents pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion filed before the court.”

Read also: Lagos police commissioner meets MC Oluomo, Istijabah on NURTW crisis, warns against violence

The counsel also asked the court to stop the respondents from “arresting, detaining, harassing, embarrassing, humiliating, inviting, seizing, and confiscating any commercial vehicle, disturbing and/or interfering with the applicant’s and its transport union members’ lawful transport business operations pending the determination of the substantive originating motion in connection with the facts of the case.”

Justice Lifu had previously instructed the respondents in the case to explain why the reliefs requested by the applicants should not be granted within seven days.

At the rescheduled hearing, Ogungbeje informed the court that the respondents had been served with the processes but had failed to react.

On this basis, Justice Lifu granted the applicants’ reliefs.

He postponed the case until June 6 to consider the applicants’ demand to add additional parties to the lawsuit.

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