The Ikoyi Federal High Court has ordered the Chairman of the Lagos State Park and Garages Management, Musiliu Akinsanya, better known as MC Oluomo, and eight others to stop levying commercial drivers in the state.
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Others affected by the order are: Registered Trustees Of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW); Registered Trustees Of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN); Registered Trustees Of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
Justice Peter Lifu gave the order in respect to an ex parte application filed by a human rights lawyer, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje.
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The lawyer filed the application on behalf of himself and a new transport union, Transport Union Society of Nigeria.
Ogungbeje had dragged Mc Oluomo and other transport unions before the court alongside, Alhaji Lawal Yusuf Othman; Lagos State Government; Attorney-General of Lagos State; Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director of State Security Service (SSS).
In the application, Mr Ogungbeje had asked the court for an order to restrain all the respondents jointly and severally, whether, by themselves, their agents, officials, or whosoever called from forceful imposition, collection, extortion, further forceful imposition, and collection of any transport Union levies, dues, fees or monies Motor-Parks levies, dues, fees or monies, Bus-Stop levies, dues, fees or monies, Vehicle Garage levies, or any Transport Union Monies, dues or levies from any person, commercial vehicle driver and or transporter that is not a member of the respondents in connection with the facts of this case pending the hearing and determination of the Substantive originating motion filed before the Court.
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He also asked the court for an order restraining Lagos State Government and its Attorney-General, jointly and severally, whether, by themselves, their Ministries, Organs, agents, officials, servants, or howsoever called from further enforcement or implementation of the N800 Transport Union levy due and money imposed on every transporter and commercial vehicle driver in Lagos State commenced on February 1, 2022, in connection with the facts of this case pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion filed before the court.
He also asked the court for an order restraining all the respondents jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their agents, officials, servants, privies, officers and or howsoever called from arresting, detaining, harassing, embarrassing, humiliating, inviting, seizing and confiscating any commercial vehicle, disturbing and or interfering with the lawful Transport Business operations of the Applicant and his Transport Union members in connection with the facts of this case pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion filed before the court.
On May 8, 2022, after listening to Ogungbeje’s submissions, Justice Lifu had ordered all the respondents in the suit to show cause within seven days from the day they were served with the application, why the orders sought should not be granted.
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At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, May 24, Ogungbeje informed the court that all respondents have been served with all the processes as directed by the court. Adding that the respondents despite being served failed to show cause within seven days as directed by the court.
He, therefore, urged the court to grant all his reliefs as prayed.
Justice Lifu after listening to the lawyer’s submission and noting that all the respondents were served as directed by the court but failed to show cause, held that “all the reliefs sought for by the applicant are hereby granted.”
Justice Lifu after granting the applicant’s reliefs, also adjourned till June 6, to rule on the applicant’s motion to join other parties to the suit.
Those seeking to be joined in the suit by the applicant are the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State; Nigeria Police; Mr Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa; The Registered Trustees of Motorcycle Operation Association of Lagos State (MOALS) and The Registered Trustees of Tricycle Owners and Operator Association of Nigeria (TOOAN).
Others are the Registered Trustees of Nagari Nakowa Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Lagos State; (NNAMORAL) HRH OBA Adeshina Suleiman Raji, A.k.a JAFO Authority; Lagos State Park and Garages Management Committee; Mr Hakeem Odumosu (AIG) (Rtd) and Dr Taiwo Olufemi Salam.
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