Long-distance road transport owners and operators have dissociated members from the planned nationwide protests slated to commence on Thursday, August 1.
The transporters under the umbrella body of the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), described the planned protests as an ill wind that would blow no good.
Briefing journalists on ALBON’s position after a meeting in their Abuja office, the association led by Nonso Ubajaka as president, said experience has shown that such protests are usually infiltrated by hoodlums who use the opportunity to unleash violence.
According to Ubajaka, members reasoned that if held, the protests could lead to loss of lives and wanton destruction of properties.
He said the resolution of the members of his association had been conveyed to Said Alkali, minister of Transportation, to whom they made it clear that they would not be a part of the planned protests.
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The association acknowledged the economic hardship in the country, with Nigerians feeling the impact of rising food prices and the high cost of living crisis.
The ALBON leadership, however, urged those planning to protest to rethink and seek more peaceful ways of getting the government to address the problems, including making themselves available for peaceful dialogue.
The ALBON President drew attention to the fact that members’ vehicles operate from Utako to other parts of Nigeria, as well as from other cities and towns to various destinations across the country, making their vehicles vulnerable to attack.
Stressing that members could not afford to risk making their buses the targets of violent protests, Ubajaka called for meaningful dialogue while the government worked towards finding solutions to economic problems.
“We don’t want to put our businesses at risk and expose the lives of the people we serve to danger through protests,” he said.
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