Strike by petrol station and tanker drivers in Oyo and Osun suspended

Members of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria Petroleum (IPMAN) and NUPENG in Oyo and Osun states on Monday announced the suspension of their indefinite strike which they had launched over alleged police harassment and extortion.

The suspension of the strike is contained in a statement by IPMAN Chairman Mutiu Bukola and NUPENG Tanker Drivers Division Chairman Hammed Hamzat.

Others in attendance were the Chairman of NUPENG’s Independent Marketers branch, Surajudeen Adegoke, and the Vice Chairman of IPMAN, Olalekan Lawal.

They made their decision to suspend the strike conditional on interventions by some stakeholders, including their zonal head and the Osun Commissioner of Police, who secured the release of the arrested driver and his truck.

“We were able to count on the intervention of stakeholders from PTD, IMB and IPMAN from the Western Zone on the issues we raised and 70 percent of our demands were met.

“In addition, the Osun Police Commissioner has invited the unions to a round table on July 15 to address other issues bordering on harassment and extortion.

“We are suspending the strike to allow for dialogue and resolution of the issues of bullying, harassment and extortion we have raised with respect to the IGP monitoring team,” the statement said.

It was said that the suspension of the strike was to buy time to create a better understanding and better working conditions with the Nigerian police.

“The outcome of the meeting will be communicated to the press,” the statement said.

The unions also appreciated the cooperation of industry stakeholders, including the Zonal Council of PTD, IMB and IPMAN, and their members from the three unions.

They reiterated their opposition to the IGP surveillance team on the highway, adding that the team should rather focus on its mandate of preventing vandalism and the bunkering of petroleum products.

The three unions called an indefinite strike on Saturday because they allegedly harassed and blackmailed their members by the IGP monitoring team.

(NAN)