The attention of the National Association of Maritime Transport Operators (NAMTOP) has been drawn to a proposed withdrawal of service by a collaboration of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) and the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee, led by the duo of Remi Ogungbemi, Lookman Shittu, and others. We wish to inform the general public as follows:
- That we recognize the right of individuals and groups to a withdrawal of service, protest, and engagement of government and security agencies on issues.
- The two groups represent themselves and their members, but not the entire truck owners and operators in the maritime transport industry.
- NAMTOP agrees partially with the group on issues raised, as it revolves around extortion by both state and non-state actors, harassment, and intimidation. These and several issues have always suffered condemnation in the hands of our association.
We, however, wish to disagree with the group in the following areas:
- i) The said planners of withdrawal of service also have points of extortion and sale of illegal tickets, just like those they are condemning.
- ii) The said planners are in partnership with RTEAN and NURTW on the extortion business, as could be seen in their fraternity in the past. We suspect a problem with the sharing formula.
iii) Members of the said groups led by One Oladimeji Olaseni are behind the illegal collections and extortion in Amuwo Odofin using an illegal revenue ticket of Amuwo Odofin Local Government as a false instrument.
Issa Babatunde Kunfayakum uses illegal Lagos State government tickets as his own false instrument to obtain truckers in the same area. Ahmed Saro is operating the same illegal tickets at the Erick Moore area of Surulere and Rasaki Igbalaye at Ijora Olopa, Lagos/Badagry express road under Mukaila Aliu, and many more places all under the headship of Lookman Shittu of the Lagos State Trucks and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC).
NAMTOP is by this medium requesting a holistic investigation and prosecution of all acts of extortion and illegality.
We advise the general public against the diversionary tricks of these tendencies.
We in NAMTOP are using this medium to inform the general public that we are not part of the “proposed withdrawal of service.”. We are OPEN for business as usual.
We believe that this action will cause unnecessary disruption to the maritime industry and may lead to economic losses for all stakeholders involved.
We are not unaware of the threat issued by the group to shut down the port, attack any trucker working on the said date, and vandalize our trucks; we are calling on all government and security agencies to call the group to order. We shall not fold our arms and allow any individual or group to vandalize our property or attack our members or personnel.
Our members are law-abiding, but we shall protect ourselves, property, and business against any form of attack.
Signed
Adisa Moshood Olaitan
