By Etuka Sunday
Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG has planned to embark on strike in Lagos Area from next week to protest against the unwarranted killing of a member comrade Olalekan Lawal by men of Operation messa in Lagos last April.
A statement signed by its National Chairman, Comrade S.A. Oladiti and National Secretary, Comrade Sunday Ochibejivwie, said the Union has already instructed its members from Lagos Zone to stop loading from Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
The statement further said failure of the constitution authority to heed to its demands and request for compensation as well continued excesses by military men at check point demanding for samples of products from drivers ranging from 10 to 20 litres at various points, would result to further actions.
The union has similarly directed all members Nationwide to carry green leaves in a show of solidarity and protest of the slain Tanker Driver with effect from Thursday, 22 May 2014.
“In an earlier circulated to security agencies and other concerned authorities, the union condemned the brutal killing of its member by men of operation messa under the NNs bee croft Naval Base as command on April 25th 2014, at Apapa Tin Can Island Exprressway Lagos. Operation messa as presently constituted comprise of Navy and police officers, who have in recent time been extorting money from PTD members demanding five hundred or one thousand Naira from Tanker Drivers.
“The refusal of late comrade Lawal to part with the one thousand Naira demanded led to his death and if not for the intervention of the zonal officers who were at the scene of the event, the situation would have degenerated to crises.
“The union has since the incident demanded for the sum of Thirty million Naira (N30m) as compensation to the family of late comrade Olalekan Lawal and equally demanded the prosecution of the killer officer concern to serve as deterrent to other whilst the twenty one (21) days ultimatum issued had elapsed,” the statement concluded.
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