A national industrial court, sitting in Lagos, has nullified the Lagos state government’s appointment of a caretaker committee, known as parks and garages administrators, and reinstated the operations of the road transport employers’ association of Nigeria, RTEAN, in the state.
Justice Maureen Esowe, made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit by RTEAN against the state government and other defendants.
RTEAN had dragged the Lagos state government to court in October 2022 for dissolving the state branch, taking over the garages and appointing a caretaker management body.
The state government argued that the government did not violate the law but sought to maintain law and order by creating the ad-hoc committee when violence ensued between the unions.
Justice Esowe held that the suspension of the national union’s operations in the state and setting up a caretaker committee was illegal and that the government and the police should have arrested and prosecuted those behind the fracas and not inquiring into the dispute.
