23rd July, 2010
Security was beefed up yesterday around Asero Motor Park, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital in South-West Nigeria, following the murder of Mr. Kehinde Haruna, a secretary of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Asero Motor Park unit.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the atmosphere around the motor park was tense early yesterday, but the presence of heavily-armed policemen helped ease the tension.
The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Musa Daura, assigned team of mobile and regular policemen to the park to prevent reprisal attack by a group loyal to the slain unit secretary of the union.
When our correspondent visited the motor park yesterday, business activities were at a ebb.
According to sources at the motor park, people refused to come to the park because they believed the late Kehinde Haruna’s loyalists could strike back.
A union official, who pleaded anonymity, informed P.M.NEWS that the killing was an offshoot of the crisis in Kuto Motor Park last year where an official of the union was killed.
“It is sad that when we heard that some boys loyal to the union leader killed last year during a power tussle were about to carry out an attack, we dismissed it as another rumour.
“They have killed our secretary now. Our boys are planning to retaliate. Since they heard of his death (Haruna), his boys have been planning for a reprisal attack.
“We appeal to the police to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure his killers are brought to book,†the union official said.
At the state secretariat of the NURTW, close to the Asero Motor Park, the state Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Baruwa and Secretary, Mr. Raymond, of the union, could not be reached for comment.
A source informed our correspondent that the duo were busy making arrangement for the burial of the late secretary.
Kehinde Haruna was gunned down by unidentified assailants at Ake area of Abeokuta on Wednesday night when he was returning from work. He has been buried according to Islamic rite.
—Biodun Onafuye/Ije-Ode