Telcos warn of service disruptions as tanker drivers halt Lagos operations over members’ ‘arrest’

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) says  the withdrawal of service by petroleum tanker drivers under the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) could lead to service disruptions in Lagos and Ogun.

In a statement on Sunday, Tony Emoekpere, ATCON president, said the strike has severely disrupted the supply of diesel to telecom base stations.

“We have been informed that the NUPENG PTD has embarked on a strike action, effective this morning, in protest of the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State,” Emoekpere said.

“Consequently, all truck loading operations and movements have been suspended indefinitely, pending further notice.

“The ongoing strike is severely disrupting the diesel supply to our members’ base stations in Lagos and Ogun States, causing significant concern as numerous telecom sites are now critically low on diesel, threatening service disruptions.”

The ATCON president called for urgent intervention from the governors of Lagos and Ogun to facilitate access to diesel from depots and ensure uninterrupted operations from affected telecom sites.

Confirming the development to TheCable on Monday, Olawale Afolabi, NUPENG’s general secretary, said the service withdrawal was in response to the attack and arrest of tanker drivers by Lagos state security personnel.

According to Afolabi, the union had previously instructed tanker drivers not to travel at night to prevent accidents and hijackings.

However, he said drivers who parked to rest were reportedly targeted by security officers.

“We gave tanker drivers instructions not to travel in the night to avoid accidents and hijackers on the highway. So where they parked resting, Lagos state government official, the security went there. They towed their vehicles, they arrested our members, they damaged the patrol vehicle of the union,” Afolabi said.

“With that, we then decided to leave the state for the government until when they are ready and willing to accommodate tanker drivers and to provide them with a convenient place so that this kind of thing will not be repeating itself.”

When asked about the duration of the strike, the general secretary said discussions are ongoing with the state government, adding that the matter would be resolved when it is completed.

“There is already discussion ongoing. If the discussion is concluded today or tomorrow, the issue will be resolved,” he stated.

Afolabi also confirmed the strike’s impact, noting that “it is definitely affecting everybody.”