Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday, stopped the sacked chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Lagos branch, Alhaji Musilu Akinsanya, a.k.a. MC Oluomo, and other transport unions from collecting levies from non-union commercial drivers in all motor parks in Lagos State.
Others affected by the court’s order are: Registered Trustees of NURTW; Registered Trustees of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN); Registered Trustees of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
Justice Lifu made the order while granting ex parte application marked FHC/L/CS/224/2022, filed by a lawyer cum human rights activist, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, who sued for himself and a new transport union, Transport Union Society of Nigeria (TUSON).
Ogungbeje had dragged Mc Oluomo and other transport unions before the court, alongside, Alhaji Lawal Yusuf Othman; Lagos State Government; Attorney-General of Lagos State; Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director of State Security Service (SSS) for yesterday’s orders.
In the application, Ogungbeje had asked the court for an order restraining all the respondents, jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their agents, officials, servants privies, officers and/or whosoever called from forceful imposition, collection, extortion, further forceful imposition. extortion and collection of any transport union levies, dues, fees or monies motor-parks levies, dues, fees or monies, bus-stop levies, dues, fees or monies, vehicle garage levies, dues, fees or monies or any transport union monies, dues or levies from any person, commercial vehicle diver and or transporter that is not a member of the respondents in connection with the facts of this case, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion filed before the court.
He also asked the court for an order restraining Lagos State Government and its Attorney-General, jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their ministries, organs, agents, officials. servants, privies, officials, officers and/or howsoever called, from further enforcement and or implementation of the N800, 00, transport union levy due and money imposed on every transporter and commercial vehicle driver in Lagos State commenced on February 1, 2022, in connection with the facts of this case, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion filed before the court.
Justice Lifu had, on May 8, 2022, after listening to Ogungbeje’s submissions, ordered all the respondents in the suit to show cause within seven days from yesterday or from the day they were served with the application, why the orders sought for should not be granted.
At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Ogungbeje informed the court that all respondents had been served with all the processes as directed by the court, adding that the respondents, despite being served, failed to show cause within seven days as directed by the court.
He, therefore, urged the court to grant all his reliefs as prayed.
