Members of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria Petroleum and NUPENG in Oyo and Osun states on Monday announced they are suspending their indefinite strike.
The strike was originally in protest of alleged police harassment and extortion.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the strike suspension is detailed in a statement signed by several leaders: IPMAN Chairman Alhaji Mutiu Bukola, Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG Chairman Alhaji Hammed Hamzat, Independent Marketers branch of NUPENG Chairman Mr. Surajudeen Adegoke, and IPMAN Vice-Chairman Alhaji Olalekan Lawal.
They decided to suspend the strike after interventions from key stakeholders, including their zonal leaders and the Osun Commissioner of Police, who secured the release of a detained driver and his truck.
“We had the intervention of stakeholders from PTD, IMB, and IPMAN from the western zone on the issues we raised and 70 percent of our demands had been granted,” the statement read.
They also mentioned a scheduled meeting with the Commissioner of Police in Osun on July 15 to address remaining issues of harassment and extortion.
“We are suspending the strike to allow for dialogue and resolution on the issues of victimization, harassment, and extortion we raised concerning the IGP monitoring team,” the communiqué read in part.
The suspension aims to foster better understanding and working conditions with the Nigerian Police Force.
“The outcome of the meeting will be communicated to the press,” the statement added.
The unions thanked 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 also reiterated their rejection of the IGP monitoring team on the highways, suggesting the team should focus on its primary mandate of preventing vandalism and bunkering of petroleum products.
NAN reports that the three unions had declared an indefinite strike on Saturday due to what they described as harassment and extortion by the IGP monitoring team.
They also demanded the immediate release of a driver and truck they said were illegally detained by the team.
