The Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in what it described as continued interference by the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the operations of its members.
Chairman of TOAN, Prince Monsuru Agbabiaka, made the call during an interview with journalists on Friday.
Agbabiaka said the association had been fully registered and had obtained several court judgments authorising it to commence operations. However, he alleged that the Lagos NURTW, under the leadership of Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle Sego, had disobeyed court orders and continued to frustrate TOAN’s activities.
According to him, TOAN had previously met with the former Lagos NURTW chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, who agreed to allow the association to operate.
He said the association also obtained a letter from the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation confirming its approval to commence operations, but alleged that the current NURTW leadership had opposed the arrangement.
Agbabiaka said TOAN had secured all the necessary documentation and approvals required to operate, including documents from the Lagos State Government, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
However, he said the association had been unable to commence full operations due to what he described as continued opposition from the NURTW.
“We have gone to several courts and have about four different judgments from the National Industrial Court affirming that we should not be disturbed in our operations.
“We met with MC Oluomo when he was in Lagos to discuss the issue, and he promised that after his first tenure, he would hand over our work to us. We also have a letter from the Ministry of Transport that allows us to operate.
“Unfortunately, he left for Abuja, and when we approached the new Lagos chairman, he declined our request totally, and we returned to court again.
“Fortunately, we were favoured by the court judgment, but even at that, they didn’t allow us to work. In March, the Lagos State Government approved our operations and wrote to the DSS and the Commissioner of Police to ensure that we work without any hindrances.
“We took them to court for contempt, and they were asked to appear in court on October 15.”
The TOAN chairman further alleged that the Lagos NURTW was influencing decisions by the Lagos State Government concerning the association’s operations.
He therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police and President Tinubu to intervene, particularly ahead of the forthcoming election.
“The TUC and the Lagos State Government have recognised our association to begin operations, but we have always had restrictions with the road union.
“Most times, even when the Lagos State Government allows us to work, they will go and meet them again to stop it, and in the end, the government turns around and asks us to hold on for security purposes.
“We are calling on the Inspector-General of Police and President Tinubu because we are suffering. The election is coming, and it is very risky to allow this to continue.
“We have more than 10,000 tricycles, and what we pay every day is more than what we earn because we are being controlled by the National Union.”
Meanwhile, a ruling by Justice I.J. Essien of the National Industrial Court, dated August 5, 2026, and sighted by this publication, issued an order for the committal of some NURTW officers over alleged disobedience of a court order concerning TOAN’s operations.
The officers named in the ruling include Mustapha Adio Adekunle, identified as the Lagos State Chairman, and Comrade Usman O. Teslim, the Lagos State Secretary.
The court held that the judgment debtors were in disobedience of its judgment and ruled in favour of the relief sought by the judgment creditor.
The court subsequently ordered the committal of the cited NURTW officers for contempt.
The ruling stated:
“AN ORDER FOR COMMITTAL of the officers of the Judgement Debtor/Respondents/Parties Cited for contempt, namely: Alh. Mustapha Adio Adekunle (Lagos State Chairman) and Comrade Usman O. Teslim (Lagos State Secretary) is hereby made.
“Pursuant to Order 64 Rule 4 sub Rule 2 of the National Industrial Court Civil Procedure Rules, it is further ordered that a committal summons is hereby issued on the parties cited…
“The parties cited and mentioned above are to appear before this court on the 15th Day of October 2026 to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for the act of disobedience of the judgment order of this court delivered on the 11/12/2025 in Suit No. NICN/308/2026.”
The October 15, 2026, court date is expected to determine the next step in the contempt proceedings.
Dear Vows
