Crisis is brewing at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ejigbo satellite depot, following an alleged plan by a factional group to impose a caretaker committee on the tanker drivers union.
The distraught group claimed that factional group leaders, without wide consultation, signed a peace accord with the police (at Zone II) and the Department of State Services (DSS) over an issue that hadn’t been amicably resolved.
The aggrieved drivers, who have reportedly armed themselves with dangerous weapons, threatened to deal with the factional group leaders if they step into the depot this morning (Monday).
Investigations by The Guardian revealed that a faction of the union, which claims to be in the majority, has perfected plans to stop the imposition of a caretaker committee and has concluded plans to use all means to accomplish its aim.
Already, it has ignored entreaties by its leaders to maintain peace, accusing one of the leaders of betrayal by signing the peace accord. It also vowed to sanction the leaders.
One of the warring members, who identified himself as Ahmed, told newsmen in Ejigbo that the police and the DSS invited one of their former leaders over the week and forced him to sign an undertaking to maintain peace, instead of addressing the main issue that was causing problems at the depot.
He said: “We have two factions of our union. The national body tried to intervene without success. A caretaker committee was appointed, and instead of spending three months and giving way for election, they spent almost a year. This is the crux of our complaint.”
MEANWHILE, it was gathered that detectives from Lagos State Police Command, early last week, invited about 11 leaders of the faction at Ejigbo depot for interrogation.
It was learnt that after meeting with the acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Ayilara, their leader was made to sign an undertaking to maintain peace at the depot. After that, they were all taken to Zone II, Onikan, where they signed similar undertaking.
It was gathered that the leaders also signed the same undertaking at the office of the DSS in Sangisha, Lagos.
Efforts to get reactions from the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, was not successful as he did not return calls. He had also not responded to a text message sent to his mobile phone as of the time of this report.
But a police source told The Guardian that the police were monitoring events at the depot to forestall breakdown of law and order.
