The ongoing fuel scarcity across the country may worsen in Lagos and its neighbouring state, as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, weekend threatened to shut fuel supplies to the state over alleged violent attacks, intimidation, harassment and extortion of members by hoodlums.
Specifically, NUPENG claimed some criminal elements parading themselves along Lekki Free Trade Zone Road, Eleko Ibesu, Lekki, as Community youths under the name of Indigenous Unity Forum, have been harassing, intimidating, and extorting money from every Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD members plying the road.
In a letter to the state governor, titled “INDUSTRIAL PEACE AND HARMONY IN LAGOS STATE: DEMAND FOR URGENT ACTIONS”, dated October 28, 2022, NUPENG’s General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, lamented that the Union have severally denounced the activities of these elements and written to several authorities including Security agencies but the group appears to be operating above the laws of the state and the country.
The letter reads in part “We are deeply constrained to bring to your urgent attention, the unwholesome activities of some criminal elements parading themselves along Lekki Free Trade Zone Road, Eleko Ibesu, Lekki, as Community youths under the name of Indigenous Unity Forum, harassing, intimidating, and extorting money from every Petroleum Truck Drivers, who are NUPENG/PTD members plying the road.
“As a responsible and peace-loving organization, with no control or knowledge of weapons of violence, coupled with the fact, that our members, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers are only out to serve Lagos State and the nation in general, through effective and efficient distribution of Petroleum Products for Industrial and Domestic uses as well as to search for sources of livelihood for themselves and their families, we have no other obligation than to demand that your Excellency, as matter of urgency, put a final stop to the unwholesome activities of these criminals and similar elements across the state, otherwise we would have no other option than to direct our members, for the sake of SAFETY of their lives and property, to stay off the entire Lagos State until sanity, law and order are restored.
“The Criminal tendencies of this group extend as far as to be impersonating and forging NUPENG/PTD official emblem, logo, identity cards, and Tickets to commit various atrocities including forceful extortion of money from our genuine members, assaulting and threatening anyone that questions, resist them or the source of their authority to perpetrate these criminal and illegal activities along the Lekki Free Trade Zone Road, Eleko Ibeju, Lekki.
“We have severally denounced these impersonators and have as well written to several authorities including Security agencies but this group appears to be operating above the laws of the state and the country. They also appear to be working for some big individuals and personalities in the State as all directives and instructions from Police authorities are treated with disdain.
“All our efforts to resist them have been met with stiff resistance and they have continued unabatedly to assault and inflict bodily injuries on our members and damage their Petroleum Trucks as well. With a deep sense of responsibility and duty, we are constrained to notify you, sir, that if this matter is not finally resolved and sanity restored to this route by midnight of Sunday 6 of November 2022, we shall have no other option than to direct our members (Petroleum Tanker Drivers} to stay off the roads of Lagos State to protect their lives and property.
“We are also by a copy of this letter, notifying the good people of Lagos State, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy, and the Managing Director of Pinnacle Oil & Gas Company Ltd of our intended directive to the Petroleum Tanker Drivers to stay off Lagos State roads as from midnight 6 November 2022 if nothing is done to safeguard their lives and properties.”
credit: Vanguard
