Business and human activities were paralysed yesterday as commercial bus drivers in Lagos State, under the aegis of the Joint Drivers’ Welfare Association of Nigeria, JDWAN, commenced a seven-day strike, after its meeting with Lagos State government ended in a deadlock.
Consequently, schoolchildren, civil servants, business owners and other commuters trekked for several hours to get to their destinations.
Also, other transporters, commercial tricycles, known as Keke Marwa and minibuses called Korope, took advantage of the strike and hiked transport fares by 100 per cent.
JDWAN had directed other bodies, such as Ibile Drivers Stakeholders Association of Nigeria, DSWAN; Mega City Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria, MCDWA; Federal Assisted Mass Transit Incorporation, FAMTI; Owners, Drivers and Conductors Association, ODCA; Commercial Bus Drivers and Owners Operators of Lagos, CBDOP and Mini Bus Drivers Welfare Association, MNDWA, to comply with the strike.
The aggrieved transporters had urged the state government to stop extortion of their members at bus stops by agberos.
The protesting drivers alleged extortion by men of motor parks and garages management, miscreants and government officials in the state.
JDWAN’s National Leader, Akintade Abiodun, said some representatives of the association had met with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Abdulhafiz Toriola, and Parks Management Liaison Officer, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, in company of JDWAN’s Legal Adviser, Mr Ayo Ademiluyi.
He noted that the essence of the meeting was defeated by the threat messages received by the drivers .
Strike compliance
Areas monitored by Our correspondent showed compliance to the strike by danfo drivers but some operators were seen operating without any resistance from the union members. Some stranded commuters were also seen trekking to their destinations.
Some drivers gathered in clusters discussing the development, while others engaged in their normal activities.
Areas monitored include Igando, Ikotun, Isheri and Egbeda in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
At Ikotun, there was a beehive of activities as danfo, Keke Marwa and Korope drivers carried out their normal activities but with fare hike.
A journey which ought to cost N200 attracted N300 fare, while that of N100 was increased to N200.
However, commuters who could not afford the exorbitant transport fares by Keke Marwa and Korope operators, resorted to patronising Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, as they stormed the terminals in large number.
The Ikotun terminal was jammed with commuters patronised the service.
In Ikorodu, major bus stops witnessed scanty commercial buses as commuters, especially students, workers and traders in the affected areas were stranded for hours due to the strike.
Areas mostly affected were LASPOTECH to Ikorodu garage, Ikorodu to Ketu/Mile 12, Eko-Idumota, Elepe and Odogunyan as few commercial buses were available to render services to many commuters.
It was observed that the few buses charged exorbitantly as commuters jostled to board them.
Fares from LASPOTECH to Ikorodu Garage, which ordinarily would have been N100 increased to N250, while Ikorodu to Mile 12 was increased to N500 as against N200.
Commercial drivers plying Ikorodu to Ewu-Elepe were absent at their park during the strike.
The strike caught us unawares—Commuters
Some stranded passengers told our correspondents that they were unaware of the strike, while others said they did not envisage it.
However, activities of commercial drivers were noticed at Benson and Ojubode as the drivers claimed 90 per cent of the buses were owned by some leaders of Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee.
We’ll resist Agberos—Aggrieved drivers
In a chat with Vanguard, the Ikorodu leader of JDWAN, Jide Abiola, who was seen monitoring the exercise, said: “I am unhappy to see commuters stranded like this but we must jointly put an end to the activities of agberos, who are eating fat on professional drivers.
“We have noticed in some areas that some agberos are planning to disrupt the strike by putting their buses on the road but we are in talks with the drivers to see reasons for organising the strike.”
Violence on Badagry/Mile 2
Meanwhile, there were pockets of violence along the Badagry/Mile 2 area as some commercial drivers were reportedly tortured by garage touts in their bid to disorganise the strike.
A member of JDWAN, Ashimiyu Idowu, in Iworo area of Badagry was said to have been kidnapped by some touts to an undisclosed destination.
Some garage touts armed with dangerous weapons were alleged to have intimidated some of the striking drivers in their various homes.
Transport fares hit the roof on Lekki-Epe axis
At Lekki-Epe route of Lagos, Vanguard gathered that while some commercial drivers observed the strike, a few others were sighted on the major roads.
Also, transportation fares were raised to the roof along the axis.
For instance, the journey from Ajah to CMS, which ordinarily was N500, increased to between N800 and N1000.
However, commuters were seen trekking from one point to another, hoping to get cheaper fare buses or a lift from good-hearted Nigerians.
A driver, who identified himself as Samson, said there was no way he could have stayed back home without working for several reasons.
Samson said: “I didn’t join the protest because I need money. They are protesting because of the money we pay to agberos.”
We want to end extortion by agberos —- JDWAN
Describing the strike as a huge success, the Legal Adviser to JDWAN, Mr Ayo Ademiluyi, said reports from across the state showed that the strike recorded more than 50 per cent compliance.
Ademiluyi said: “You should understand that this strike is by self-employed, informal workers and they have demonstrated that they want to end the extortion by touts in Lagos State.
“This is just the foundation of a new beginning against oppression.”
Urging Lagosians to bear with the drivers and join in the struggle, he said: “We want to end extortion, especially by Lagos Parks and Garages.
Lagos govt meets protesting drivers tomorrow
In a bid to meet the demands of the drivers, Lagos State government, yesterday, called the leadership of JDWAN to a crucial meeting slated for
