By Emmanuel Ogbodo
Adedamola Adeniran, the national president of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), has been accused of using intimidation tactics by a rival faction of the union. This follows the arrest of the factional president, David Nosa, by the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja.
In a letter to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), signed by factional secretary Comrade Ayoade Ibrahim and seen by Technext, the AUATON faction alleged that Adeniran, who reportedly works at the police institute in Abuja, has been using his position to harass and intimidate factional members despite an ongoing case.
“Adedamola has been leveraging his connection with the police to arrest us, even after we reported the matter to the NLC committee panel. During the mediation meeting called by the NLC, Adedamola used the police to arrest our members. This blatant abuse of power continued last week when he planned our arrest. However, today Adedamola’s tactics succeeded and the police arrested David Nosa at his residence,” the letter stated.
The faction claimed that this was a clear violation of its members’ rights and an attempt to intimidate them. It argued that Adeniran’s actions are unethical and against the AUATON’s constitution and labor laws.
David Nosa, who was previously the national deputy president of AUATON before being elected president of the breakaway faction, was arrested at his residence in Abuja on Monday at around 1 p.m.
According to AUATON’s media, publicity, and technical team, Nosa was arrested for allegedly impersonating the union’s president and defrauding members in Edo State. The team also accused him of attempting to defraud the Edo State government during the gubernatorial election and of working with his secretary, Ayoade Ibrahim, to mislead the public.
“David Nosa is under investigation for unethical and unauthorized use of the Union name and members in an attempt to defraud the Edo State government during the just concluded gubernatorial campaigns and elections. The Nigeria Police Federal Crime Intelligent Department (FCID) is also investigating David Nosa’s alleged collaboration with Ben Ayoade, the sacked former General Secretary of the union to mislead the public about AUATON,” stated the technical team.
Following his release from police custody, Nosa alleged that his arrest was orchestrated by Comrade Adedamola Adeniran, who he accused of using his influence within the Nigeria Police as a staff member and lecturer at the institute of police studies. He managed to convince the police that the issue was a union affair already before the national industrial court.
“The police in their wisdom and commitment to the peace of the Nigerian people released me on bail and asked that both Adedamola Adeniran and myself should return to the force CID tomorrow morning for settlement between the two factions. I write this to my esteemed members nationwide to debunk the rumours and false claims flying on all social media platforms that I was arrested and detained ‘for impersonation and conspiracy to commit fraud’ and to reassure our members that I am back home with my family safe and well,” Nosa said.
