Suspected hoodlums gun down aide of NURTW leader, injure others

An attack by suspected hoodlums on the entourage of the leader National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW has left his personal assistant identified as Ganiyu dead.

Reports say the NURTW leader Alhaji Kunle Azeez, his personal assistant Ganiyu (aka Kunle Poly) and some security guards, including two policemen, were returning from a meeting in the Idumota area of Lagos at midnight when the hoodlums struck.

Reports say the attack which left Ganiyu dead also left others with varying degrees of injuries as they tried to escape the rain of bullets fired by the assailants.

According to a source who witnessed the incident, the attack was suspected to have been carried out by hoodlums from the Agarawu area in Idumota.

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The source said; “Kunle Poly, who heads the NURTW branches in Idumota, called a meeting of all chairmen in motor parks in the area around 12 midnight.

“When they were done with the meeting, Kunle Poly, the two poliemen guarding him, Piero, and one other union member, left for his car, which was parked at a bridge close to the office.

“Kunle Poly asked Piero to release the car key because he (Kunle Poly) wanted to drive the car by himself. He asked Piero to go to the passenger’s side. Piero turned to go to the passenger’s side, while his boss headed towards the driver’s side. They were all about to enter the car when there was a gunshot.

“Piero was hit and he died on the spot. The union member with them was hit by another bullet in the hand. The mopols with them wanted to return the gunfire when the gunmen rained bullets on them. They all took cover.

“Kunle Poly dodged beside the car from where he jumped onto the bridge and escaped to the other side of the road. The two mopols took to their heels. Nobody knew where the shots came from as I speak to you.”

Reports say the incident sparked fear and tension on the island while the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, hours later said in a statement that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had approved the proscription of union activities on the Lagos Island until calm is restored.

“In view of the crisis rocking the NURTW chapter of the Lagos Island and the insecurity it is creating on the Island, the security council meeting today chaired by the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has ordered that union activities be suspended on the Island until further notice.

“We are also using the opportunity to call on the NURTW leadership in the state that nobody or group of persons or organisations would be allowed to tamper with the peaceful security situation in Lagos State and that the government would not hesitate to proscribe completely all union activities in the state if their members do not obey the laws of the land and ensure that their activities do not amount to breaching the peace,” Imohimi said.

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