No escort for Oyo NURTW chairman - Police

The Nigerian Police has said it is not providing escorts for Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde, Oyo state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). 

According to DSP Olabisi Clet-Ilobanafor, spokesman of  the Oyo state command of the Nigerian Police Force, many aggrieved members of the union had written petition against the force for providing police escorts for the NURTW chieftain.

“There is no iota of truth in what is being indicated here that two policemen were given to Oyerinde as escorts. Policemen were deplored to the NURTW building, not as escorts, but for security purposes due to the protracted NURTW crises that had been rocking the state," she said.

“But for the deployment of the policemen there, the place would have continued to be a battle ground as it used to be. However, the police command thought it wise that posting policemen there would definitely deter disgruntled NURTW members from turning the place to a theatre of war."

She urged the angry faction to guard against breaking law and order, adding that they can channel their petition through the right channels if they want a proper investigation.

“If they want anything investigated, it is not enough to allege. Let them address a copy of their grievances to the Commissioner of Police so that each allegation could be treated on merit.

“We want to tell them that if a hungry man becomes angry and he breaks the law of the land, the law will take its course on that person. We advise them not to take laws into their hands because this will mean that they want to confront the law.

“It is better for them to go through proper channels than issuing subtle threats  because if anything goes wrong, they would be made to face the full wrath of the law,” she said.