AUATON president accused of intimidation following factional leader’s arrest for impersonation

Adedamola Adeniran, the national president of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has been accused of intimidation by a rival faction of the union. This comes hours after the factional president of the union, David Nosa was arrested in Abuja by The Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

According to a letter to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) signed by factional secretary, Comrade Ayoade Ibrahim, and seen by Technext, the AUATON faction said that Adeniran, whom he claimed is a staff of the police institute in Abuja, has been using his position to harass and intimidate factional members, despite an ongoing case.

This, it claims is a clear case of abuse of power.

“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 reads.

The faction said that this was a clear violation of the rights of its members and an attempt to arrest them. It said Adedamola’s actions are not only unethical but also against the AUATON’s constitution and labour laws.

AUATON factional leaders accused of attempting to defraud Edo govt

David Nosa, who was a former national deputy president of the union who was elected president when his faction split away, was arrested around 1 pm at his residence in Abuja, on Monday.

According to AUATON’s media, publicity and technical team, Nosa was arrested for allegedly impersonating the union’s president and defrauding members of AUATON in Edo State, amongst others.

The technical team also accused the factional president of attempting to defraud the Edo State government during the state’s gubernatorial election and colluding 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,” the team said.

Mr David Nosa has, however, been released from police custody. According to the factional president, the arrest was the handiwork of Comrade Adedamola Adeniran who he accused of using his connection with the Nigeria Police as a staff and lecturer in the institute of police studies.

However, he was able to convince the police that the matter was a union affair which was already before the national industrial court.

“So the police in their wisdom and commitment to the peace of the Nigerian people release me on bail and ask that both Adedamola Adeniran and myself should return back 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,” he said.

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