Truck owners, MWUN threaten strike over alleged extortion

By Steve Agbota

The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) have issued an ultimatum to the Lagos state government, demanding an end to what they describe as exploitative and arbitrary enforcement actions by the Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Special Traffic Management Committee in Apapa.

The transport stakeholders, collectively referred to as NMA, an acronym for the three groups, have threatened to withdraw their services within three days if their grievances are not addressed.

At a meeting held at the MWUN Secretariat in Apapa on Monday, the groups accused the two Lagos State committees of overstepping their mandate to manage traffic congestion, alleging that they now focus on indiscriminate truck arrests, extortion, and unlawful vehicle impoundments.

They claim detained trucks are subjected to exorbitant fines ranging from N200,000 to N400,000, often paid into private accounts rather than designated government accounts.

Citing a recent case, the groups reported that trucks lawfully released from the Lilypond Pre-Gate under the authority of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were intercepted by committee officials, forcibly turned back, and in some cases, impounded with arbitrary fines. Some trucks were allegedly diverted to private yards, where owners were coerced into paying additional towing fees.

A particularly troubling incident occurred on February 20, 2025, near Area ‘B’ Police Command, Apapa, where committee members, allegedly accompanied by street urchins, attacked truckers and other stakeholders.

According to Mr. Leye Thompson, a member of NMA’s Board of Trustees, truckers who resisted extortion attempts were subjected to verbal and physical assaults. “One of the drivers was so brutally attacked that he is now hospitalized.

The matter is currently under investigation at the Area B Police Station,” he stated.

Adding to their grievances, the transport groups recounted that on February 23, 2025, the Abandoned Vehicles Committee raided the Unity Bonded Terminal, impounding over 100 trucks that were waiting to drop off containers and falsely labelling them as abandoned.

Expressing deep concern, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, President General of MWUN, described the situation as “pathetic”, lamenting that truckers are being exploited under the guise of traffic enforcement.

“The cost of doing business in our ports has been hijacked by non-state actors who impose arbitrary enforcement measures,” Adeyanju stated.

He called for immediate intervention from the Lagos State Government, warning that failure to resolve the matter within the three-day ultimatum would trigger widespread industrial action by MWUN.

“If after three days nothing is done, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the two port managers, and other respected stakeholders must wake up and correct the wrongs that are crippling transport operations in our ports,” he declared.

Adeyanju stressed that truckers are an essential part of the maritime value chain and that any disruption to their operations would negatively impact the entire sector.

“Some of our members are truckers, and they, too, are affected by these oppressive policies. We will not sit back while our people are subjected to extortion and violence under the guise of traffic management,” he warned.

He also condemned the recent violent attacks on truck drivers, including the brutal assault of a driver now hospitalized.

“The Lagos State Government never authorized anyone to assault or kill people. If this injustice continues, we will raise our voices louder and take decisive action. We are all stakeholders, and we refuse to allow these abuses to continue unchecked,” he stated.

In response to these escalating tensions, the transport groups have demanded the immediate disbandment of the two Lagos State committees and the unconditional release of all impounded trucks.

The groups have given the Lagos State Government until Wednesday, February 26, 2025, to meet their demands. Failure to comply, they warn, will lead to an indefinite service withdrawal, a move that could cripple cargo movement and disrupt port operations.

They have called on relevant authorities, including the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority, to urgently intervene and restore sanity to the transport and logistics sector.