Four injured in Delta clash over revenue

[solem2008]

       3/10/2008
      


About four persons are being treated for wounds in various hospitals in Sapele, Delta State, following a clash between members of the National Union of Road Transport workers (NURTW) and local council revenue collectors.

The violence was sparked off by a battle for the control of the lucrative motor park in the town, which is the headquarters of Sapele Local Government Area.

Eyewitnesses said trouble started from the Reclamation Motor Park when over 50 gun-wielding men stormed the area to seize control of the park.

The NURTW team was led by a prominent member of the union. But the council officials waded off the attack.

The council’s boss, Hon. Godwin Atose, appealed for calm.

He was shocked at the incident, he said, adding that there were moves to resolve the impasse before yesterday’s incident.

"I have contacted the Chairman of the NURTW who has agreed to come down to Sapele with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman after this Independence holiday to find a solution to the problem between the council revenue collectors and the NURTW at the motor park.

"We have agreed that after the long holiday, they will come to Sapele, meet to ensure there is peace between the union and the revenue collectors at the motor parks," Atose said.

He added: "I believe in dialogue and I have been discussing with the union since the past three months that I assumed office. The dialogue was still in progress before the attack on the council revenue collectors, which I had earlier reported to the security agents."

But an NURTW source, however, told our correspondent that its members decided to storm the park, having waited for several months in vain for the issue to be resolved.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Sapele Police Station, Mr. Felix Uzor, could not be reached for comments at yesterday, but a source in the station confirmed the report.

He said the police took the injured to the hospital.