Alleged police extortion: IPMAN, NUPENG put strike on hold

Members of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria Petroleum (IPMAN) and NUPENG in Oyo and Osun states, on Monday, announced the suspension of the indefinite strike they had embarked upon over alleged police harassment and extortion.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the suspension of the strike is contained in a statement signed by the IPMAN Chairman, Alhaji Mutiu Bukola and the Chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG, Alhaji Hammed Hamzat.

Others were: the Chairman, Independent Marketers branch of NUPENG, Mr Surajudeen Adegoke and the IPMAN, Vice-Chairman, Alhaji Olalekan Lawal.

They hinged the decision to suspend the strike on interventions by some stakeholders, including their zonal leaders and the Commissioner of Police in Osun who ensured that the detained driver and his truck were released.

“We had the intervention of stakeholders from PTD, IMB and IPMAN from the western zone on the issues we raised and 70 per cent of our demands had been granted.

“Also, the Commissioner of Police in Osun has invited the unions for a roundtable meeting on July 15 to resolve other issues bordering on harassment and extortion.

“We are suspending the strike to allow for dialogue and resolution on the issues of victimisation, harassment and extortion we raised concerning the IGP monitoring team,” the communiqué read in part.

It said that the suspension of the strike was to allow for time to create better understanding and better working conditions with the Nigerian Police Force.

“The outcome of the meeting will be communicated to the press,” the statement said.

The unions also appreciated the stakeholders in the industry, including the zonal council of PTD, IMB and IPMAN as well as their members from the three unions for their cooperation.

They reiterated their rejection of the IGP monitoring team on the highway, adding that the team should rather face its mandate of checkmating vandalism and bunkering of petroleum products.

NAN reports that the three unions had, on Saturday, declared an indefinite strike over what they called harassment and extortion of their members by the IGP monitoring team.

They also demanded for immediate release of the driver and the truck which, they said, were illegally detained by the team.