David Oladimeji
The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) Global Resource Initiative has called for the immediate release of four members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Ejigbo Unit currently in detention, describing their continued incarceration as unjust and a threat to industrial peace in Lagos State.
In a public address delivered on February 23, 2026, the Executive Director of HURMA, Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak, raised concerns over what he termed a “protracted intra-union crisis” that has rocked the Ejigbo branch of the tanker drivers’ union.
According to the group, the dispute is linked to alleged efforts to frustrate the conduct of a free and fair election within the PTD Ejigbo Unit, a development said to have deepened factional divisions within the union.
HURMA alleged that elements within the South-West Zonal leadership of the PTD, in collaboration with the umbrella body, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), may have played roles in escalating tensions surrounding the anticipated election.
The crisis reportedly degenerated into open confrontation following an incident allegedly triggered by a factional member identified as Mr. Alao Akala. The confrontation, sources said, created panic within the Ejigbo tanker drivers’ community.
However, the human rights body expressed shock over claims that when members of both factions approached the Ejigbo Police Station to report the disturbance, four of those who lodged complaints were instead arrested.
HURMA further alleged that the detained drivers were subsequently arraigned before different magistrate courts, where detention orders were obtained under what it described as stringent and questionable circumstances.
The four affected members — Kabiru Taiye Salami, Kazeem Adeniran, Saheed Alegbeleye, and Oladeji Rahmon — are currently being held at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, pending further legal proceedings.
The organisation described the development as troubling, arguing that the pattern of events raises serious questions about due process and the neutrality of certain officers within Zone D of the Lagos State Police Command.
Comrade Isiak warned that perceived injustice in labour-related disputes could inflame tensions and disrupt industrial harmony, particularly within a sector as sensitive as petroleum transportation.
He noted that tanker drivers play a critical role in Nigeria’s energy supply chain, and any escalation of conflict within their ranks could have ripple effects beyond union politics.
HURMA has therefore demanded an immediate, independent, and impartial investigation into the actions of officers at Ejigbo Police Station and the Zone D Command.
The group also called for disciplinary measures against any official found culpable of misconduct or abuse of office, stressing that accountability is essential to restoring public confidence in law enforcement.
Most importantly, the organisation is pressing for the unconditional release of the four detained PTD members, pending what it described as a transparent and unbiased review of the allegations against them.
As tensions continue to simmer within the Ejigbo Unit, HURMA urged the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to intervene swiftly, insisting that justice, fairness, and respect for fundamental human rights must prevail to prevent further escalation.
