FIVE DEAD IN NURTW FACTIONAL GUN DUEL IN SANGO-OTA,OGUN STATE

By Lateef Lawal

Not less than five persons have been reported dead during a factional fight between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) in Sango-Ota, Ogun State in the early hours of today.

In addition, several others sustained various degrees of injuries from gun shots and other dangerous weapons used during the free-for-all,which according to eyewitness accounts began mid-night Monday.

Many workers were stranded at various bus stops while others including school children remained in-doors and shops and markets closed to avoid stray bullets.

It was not immediately known what led to the mayhem, but it was gathered that members of the union loyal to a popular leader of the group were trying to resist the leader of a rival group and his gang from the control of motor parks especially in the Sango axis including the areas around the over-head bridge.

Due to the intensity of the fire power exchanged by the rival groups, inhabitants of Sango and its environs stayed awake till day break waiting for the intervention of the law enforcement agents to stem the tide of criminality exhibited by the groups.

The men of the Nigeria Police however came in in the early hours of the day to bring the situation under control and remove the dead bodies from the main road linking the Idi-Iroko road.

As at 12 noon today, mobile policemen in armoured vehicles were still patrolling the major roads and link roads in Sango-Ota Ado-Odo Local Government Council of Ogun State, the Police is yet to confirm arrest of any suspect from either group.