One persons was feared dead and several others injured when members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers battled one another for several hours in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Guns were freely used by the warring parties in the clash which paralyzed commercial and social activities.
Schools and business places were shut while the melee lasted.
The drivers, who started the attacks on Monday, were protesting the detention of their colleague, Ahmed Kolo, allegedly on the order of Governor Ayo Fayose.
Kolo was remanded in prison custody on September 27 following his arraignment at an Ado Ekiti Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attempting to knock Fayose down with his vehicle.
He was brought to court again on Monday, but the court prolonged his remand.
This angered his colleagues, who claimed to have made representations to the governor on behalf of the detained driver.
The angry drivers declared war on Fayose, threatening unrest until Kolo is released.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade, said the leadership of the NURTW had contacted Fayose to resolve the crisis.
Alade said the detained driver was rude to the governor and refused to apologise.
This, the SSG said, was the reason he was arrested and taken to court for traffic offence.
She said: “This driver drove recklessly against the convoy and he was arrested.
“Rather than apologise, he was rude to the governor.
“The governor asked him and his colleagues to apologise, but they refused.
“The governor, as a no-nonsense person, won’t tolerate any threat from anybody.
“Not until he apologises, he won’t be released.”
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