- Tells NURTW, RTEAN: “Don’t take law into your hands; suspects behind killing will be arrested”
Peace is often tested most severely in the hours following a tragedy. At such moments, the true measure of leadership lies not only in the pursuit of justice but also in preventing grief from degenerating into lawlessness.
As anxiety spread across Lagos following the killing of the General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), popularly known as Toba Ijaya, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fatai Tijani moved swiftly to contain tensions, reassure residents, and reinforce confidence that the rule of law not reprisals will determine the outcome of the ongoing investigation, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
In a decisive peace meeting convened, CP Tijani brought together leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), urging restraint while assuring Lagosians that security agencies remain firmly in control of the situation.
National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP reliably gathered that the Police Commissioner disclosed to the gathering that the Command had already commenced a comprehensive investigation into the killing and assured all stakeholders that no stone would be left unturned in identifying and prosecuting those responsible.
“The Command has commenced a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident, and I assure you that the outcome will be made public when the investigation is concluded,” CP Tijani said.
Appealing for calm, he warned against any attempt to exploit the incident to foment violence across the state. “I appeal to the leadership of both NURTW and RTEAN to continue restraining your members. No individual or group should take the law into their own hands. We will not tolerate any act capable of disrupting public peace, and anyone found breaching the peace will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” he stated.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the Police were closely monitoring developments across Lagos and urged members of the public to support investigators with credible information. “Allow the Police to carry out a professional, diligent and unbiased investigation. If you have useful information, share it with us. We are committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are identified, arrested and brought to justice,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of the NURTW, its Lagos State Chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle Adio (Sego), thanked the Commissioner of Police for the prompt intervention and assured the Command that the union had maintained peace since the incident. “We appreciate the Commissioner of Police for bringing us together at this critical time. Since the unfortunate incident, we have held several meetings with our members and consistently preached peace. Calm has prevailed, and we will continue to ensure that it remains so,” he said.
Sego also pledged the union’s full cooperation with law enforcement, stressing that “any member who attempts to cause trouble or violates our directive to remain peaceful will be handed over to the Police.”
Similarly, the Lagos State Chairman of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Comrade Shamsudeen Adepeju Ajala (Kaosar), commended the Police Command for its proactive response and reaffirmed his association’s commitment to peace. “We will cooperate fully with the Police to ensure that those behind this incident are identified and brought to justice. Our members have been directed to remain law-abiding, and we will not allow anyone to create unrest in Lagos,” he assured.
The meeting also resolved that both transport unions would intensify internal sensitisation among their members, encouraging restraint while discouraging the spread of misinformation capable of escalating tensions.
In his closing remarks, CP Tijani again urged the leadership of both unions to sustain dialogue with their members and continue working closely with security agencies. “Peace and cooperation are indispensable to a successful investigation. We must not allow criminal elements to exploit this unfortunate incident to destabilise Lagos. Together, we will ensure justice is served while preserving the peace that Lagosians deserve,” he said.
With the Police Command maintaining heightened surveillance and the leadership of both transport unions publicly committing themselves to peace, Lagosians have been reassured that security agencies remain firmly on top of the situation. The message from all stakeholders was unmistakable. Justice will follow due process, and there must be no room for retaliation, violence or actions capable of undermining the peace, calm, safety, and stability of Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre.
