Ado-Ekiti, theEkiti Statecapital, was, on Monday, thrown into confusion as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) engaged in a free for all.The clash in which weapons were freely used, led to the disruption of commercial activities in the town, with members of RTEAN protesting what they said was the arrest and detention of their chairman in the state, Chief Rotimi Olanbiwoninu, by the police.It was gathered that Olanbiwoninu, also known as Mentilo, was arrested following the disruption of a ceremony on Saturday by a former chairman of the NURTW in the state, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, where he (Aderiye) was opening a new transport company in the town.The disruption of the ceremony in which it was alleged that some guests received machete wounds, according to RTEAN members, was because Aderiye was locating 'a private transport business on an illegal location in the state capital.'It was also alleged that Olanbiwoninu was seen at the vicinity of the premises owned by Aderiye when the attack was perpetrated, thereby fuelling the rumour that Olanbiwoninu was behind the attack.In retaliation, the group loyal to Aderiye launched their own attack on Monday, and crippled commercial activities in the town for almost all day.Commercial motorcyclists only began skeletal services at about 3.p.m on Monday for fear of being attacked.Commercial vehicle drivers kept their vehicles off the roads in Ado- Ekiti, while those that plied Ijan to Ado-Ekiti, Ikere to Ado-Ekiti and Ifaki to Ado-Ekiti were stopped as they arrive at the state capital and their passengers evacuated and told to find their way.The protesters, brandished cutlasses and charms, said they were ready for war against Aderiye, claiming that he would not be allowed to establish the transport business in Ado Ekiti when others had been mandated by the state government to move to the outskirts.Meanwhile, no fewer than 10 police vans have begun patrolling the town with armed men to contain the clashes which affected Ijigbo, Old Garage and Okeyinmi areas of the state capital.The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr Victor Babayemi, declined to confirm the arrest of Olanbiwoninu, said to have been arrested on the orders of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olayinka Balogun.Babayemi, however, said Mr Balogun was holding talks with the feuding groups on the need to allow peace to reign in the state.Reacting to the development, the manager of Lafe-Ade Transport Company owned by Chief Aderiye, Mr Wale Ibidapo, said the matter had gone before the police, adding that all parties to the dispute had been told their fault with a view to resolving the matter.
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