Confusion as commercial drivers clash around Lagos airport

    
A clash, which started between the Chairman, NAHCo/Airport Garage, Ikeja, Lagos, and a member of the Bus Drivers’ Union on Wednesday, left many people seriously injured.

Eyewitnesses said trouble started at about noon, when a bus driver refused to pay the usual loading fee.

This drew the ire of the chairman, who reportedly challenged the driver, leading to a serious fight.

An ice-cream seller at the garage, who gave his name as Tim, said the driver of the bus used a knife on the jaw of the chairman, while the chairman inturn used an unknown weapon on the driver.

This, he said led to a free-for-all, which later turned bloody as some touts were reportedly brought in by the Chairman to send all bus drivers away.

“When the fight started, all the passengers, drivers of cabs  and KEKE NAPEP and traders started running in different directions,” he said.

The fracas caused a major gridlock around the Computer Village, Ikeja, and the Local Airport access routes.

Efforts to reach the said chairman and bus union leaders proved abortive, as the by-standers said they had both been rushed to different hospitals for treatment, due to the injuries sustained.

A member of the drivers’ union, who identified himself as Peter, said the Union had decided not to ‘load’ passengers from the garage for the time being.

Although a few passers-by were hit by flying broken bottles, no one died in the clash.

It took the intervention of the police to restore calm to the area after about two hours.