Benson, who was seen in a wrecked vehicle in a viral video, was said to have died in an auto crash on Third Mainland Bridge on Thursday night.

Confirming his death, a friend of the deceased, Ogunseye Vincent, wrote on his Facebook page that the late Benson was a vibrant man with high hopes and vision.

“The news of your passing came to me as a rude shock. You were a vibrant man with high hopes and vision.

“Though the memory we shared remains forever, I take solace in the trust that Olodumare will grant your soul a peaceful rest. Sail well to eternity, Comrade Akintoye Benson (Baba Ogun),” he added.

Until his death, Benson was the chairman of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) Zone H.

Efforts to reach Akinsanya for a comment proved abortive as his phone could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

The post MC Oluomo’s aide dies in autocrash on Third Mainland Bridge appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

In a letter signed by Emmanuel Igbinosun, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, on behalf of the minister, and addressed to the National President of the union, Lalong said the decision followed the meeting it held with the NURTW executives.

The letter is titled, ‘Leadership Of The National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) And Industrial Coup D’état By The Former President Of The Union, Alh Najeem Usman Yasin And His Rampaging Illegal Militia-A Clarion Call For Intervention.’

The letter noted that both factions in the dispute were notified about the development.

The letter read, “Following the meeting held with you on the above subject, I am directed to inform you that, in line with the power conferred on the Honourable Minister of Labour by Section 5 of the Trade Dispute Act CAP T8 Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment has apprehended this dispute.

“In view of the above, the Honourable Minister has directed the suspension of all further activities by the factions of the NURTW pending an amicable resolution of the dispute.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all activities in furtherance of the election of new executives and related to the day-to-day operations of the union are suspended henceforth.

“Further directives would be communicated to you on or before Friday 13th October 2023. This information has also been communicated to the other faction in the dispute.

“Please accept the assurances of the kind regards of the Honourable Minister.”

Recently, a faction of the union led by Tajudeen Agbede who came from Lagos State forcefully took over the National Secretariat of the union located at Garki 2 and dislodged the incumbent President, Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa.

Baruwa and three other national officers of the union were recently detained in Abuja by the police over the leadership crisis rocking the union.

Baruwa was invited to a meeting by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, which was also attended by the faction of Agbede which is also with Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, who was formerly leading the disbanded Lagos Park Management Committee.

MC Oluomo is an ally of President Bola Tinubu.

Earlier this month, a middle-aged man was beaten up in Abuja by some members of the union loyal to MC Oluomo after he was accused of carrying passengers.

It was learnt that the incident occurred at Area 1 near Conoil filling station where the yet-to-be-identified young man was detained while his vehicle was impounded.

It was gathered that he was arrested by the task force of the union and forcefully taken to Area 1 office where he was asked to pay the sum of N20,000 as a fine for allegedly carrying passengers along the road.

Trouble started when the man denied the allegation levelled against him and insisted that he did not carry any passengers in his vehicle.

The ensuing altercation resulted in fisticuffs as the man and the leader of the branch exchanged blows, a source told our correspondent. Other members of the union joined in the brawl and beat the young man till he was almost unconscious.

He was dragged on the floor as they hit him with sticks and iron rods.

It took the timely intervention of some bystanders who intervened to rescue him from the hoodlums who threatened to kill him.

The post Labour Minister suspends MC Oluomo, Baruwa’s factions of NURTW appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The packages, he said, cut across commercial bus drivers and passengers.

He said the tickets given to drivers at parks for N800 will now be sold for N600.

All bookings, he said, would have 25 per cent reduction.

For passengers, Akinsanya said routes where transport fare is N500 has been reduced to N300 while those paying N200 for fare will now pay N150.

He added that commercial motorcycles (Okada riders) and tricycles (Keke Marwa) operators will gave 25 per cent reduction in the tickets bought from the union.

He announced a task force team that would monitor the implementation of the directives.

Akinsanya warned various parks and garages’ executives to ensure compliance, stating that sanction would be meted on defaulters.

The task force will be led by all members of state executives, parks’ chairmen and selected union leaders.

He said that the agency will do all it could not to inconvenient the masses, hence the timely intervention.

He said the directive was a follow up to the announcement of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on bus fare reduction yesterday.

The LASPG boss said over 50,000 members of the agency will not be joining Nigeria Labour Congress’ (NLC) planned protest tomorrow.

He said: “We, the State Executives and the entire members of Lagos State Parks and Garages met today in Lagos to review the situation in the country particularly in Lagos following the Oil subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

“After much deliberations and review, we discussed the high cost of foods, transport fares and other areas of public interest in particular the plan by the organised Labour union i.e. the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to call workers out on a strike action.

“After a careful discussion, we concluded that we will not be part of any strike or protest rally being planned to draw the Federal Government attention to the issue being debated in the country. All transport family and members will be at work to convey people to their various destinations without problem because Lagos State Government has announced some interventions in the sector.

“Lagos State Government has provided a conducive atmosphere for our operations. There is, therefore, no reason for us to join any strike that may threaten peace of the state. The various palliative measures taken by the state government especially the 50 per cent reduction of government public transports and a downward review on our Yellow Buses fares will also, go a long way in cushioning the effect of the subsidy removal. We have also embarked on the internal measures like downward reviews on Lagos State Government and Union Tickets. With this, there will be a reduction in transport fares by commercial drivers.

“We at Lagos State Parks and Garages, therefore, equivocally say no to any form of strikes and protest by any group or organized labour. All our members are enjoined to go on their normal duties without any fear or intimidation.”

The post MC Oluomo rolls out relief package for Lagos bus drivers, passengers appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, made the statement Friday on a Public Eye Instagram Live interview with Funmi Iyanda.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has so far confirmed 5,445 COVID-19 infections across the country.

“None of our members has coronavirus,” Akinsanya said while admitting that the economic and social impact of the pandemic “has been hard on us.”

According to him, the union has put measures in place at parks to reduce the exposure of drivers, conductors, passengers and others to the virus.

“Coronavirus does not know the rich or poor. We have told our members that everybody entering motor parks must wear face masks. There must also be soap and water.

“All parks in Lagos have monitoring units that ensure compliance. We also have a task force that monitors activities across the state.”

He, however, admitted that some errant drivers pick more than the number of passengers recommended by the Lagos State Government to curb the spread of coronavirus.

As part of efforts to reduce the economic impact of COVID-19 lockdown, he said the union reduced the ticket fee paid by transporters so they don’t transfer the loss of income to the passengers.

“We also suspended payment of loans by drivers who acquired buses from us during the lockdown. Even I went out to monitor what is going on during lockdown to help drivers.

“Government supports us in Lagos because they don’t want people to go hungry. What we get from the government is food, not money.”

The NURTW, he said, is creating a digital database to reduce incidents of crime linked to the association.

“We are trying to create a database so if something illegal happens somewhere we will know the name and address of the person and the license number so we can trace the person.

“For now, if people see drivers and conductors engaging in illegal activities, they should report through numbers we have made available to the public.

“Even in places where people have increased the price of transportation, they should call and let the task force know,” he added.

The post No NURTW member has tested positive for coronavirus – MC Oluomo appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

Popularly known as MC Oluomo, Akinsanya will break down the struggles of the ordinary people, particularly essential workers in the transport sector as Nigeria tries to find solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Songwriter, record producer and social activist, 2face brings the authentic and uncensored honesty he is known for to the programme.

He will give insight into the life of the rich and famous during the coronavirus lockdown, and the effect on the entertainment industry.

Supported by McArthur Foundation, Public Eye is broadcast on Instagram Live every Friday at 8pm.

Past guests on the programme include Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; social media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Tolu Ogunlesi; spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Frank Mba, and US-based Nigerian family nurse practitioner, Regina Askia.

The post Funmi Iyanda hosts MC Oluomo, 2face Idibia on Public Eye Live appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

MC Oluomo was attacked at an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Ikeja on January 8 and was immediately taken to Eko Hospital, following injuries he sustained.

NAN reports that MC Oluomo left the hospital on Tuesday night after payment of over N2 million medical bill.

A source was quoted as saying that the NURTW leader may have left for the US immediately he was discharged.

“He is very fine and has nothing to worry about his health after his treatment at the hospital. Before he finally left on Tuesday night, he was receiving a lot of well-wishers,” the source was quoted as saying.

“Sometimes, he moves around and sometimes walks his visitors to the corridor, so he was in a sound health before leaving the hospital.

“Few days before he left the hospital, his associates were making arrangements for his trip.”

NAN also reported that there was no police presence around the hospital, as the three police vehicles stationed there had been removed.

The Lagos police command had said it arrested some suspects and also declared wanted another NURTW chieftain over the disruption of the APC rally in Lagos.

The post MC Oluomo ‘discharged’ from hospital appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.