Katsina Gov’t Suspends NURTW Chair Over His Claims On Insecurity

The Katsina State Government has taken the decision to suspend Aminu Usman, the local chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Dutsinma, due to an alleged false statement that claimed a significant federal road was closed because of insecurity.

Naijaonpoint reports that this suspension was revealed during a joint press conference held in Katsina on Wednesday, following strong denials from both the state chapter of the NURTW and the government regarding the alleged closure of the Dutsinma-Yantumaki-Mararabar Kankara federal road.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Zango, along with the Katsina State NURTW Chairman, Musa Yandoma, seeks to clarify the matter.

“The Katsina State Government has been alerted to a release that was supposedly authored and signed by Aminu Usman, the chairman of the NURTW Dutsinma branch, which advised motorists to refrain from using the Dutsinma, Turare, Yantumaki, and Mararrabar Kankara road, claiming it has been closed,” the statement indicated.

It emphasised that the state branch of the union has distanced itself from the “unreasonable release”, pointing out that Usman issued it “without proper consultation with the union’s state office and other pertinent stakeholders”.

Earlier on Wednesday, the unauthorised statement regarding the road closure, which cited insecurity as the reason, had spread rapidly on social media, instilling significant fear among motorists and passengers.

“Motorists and the general public are by this statement requested to disregard this misinformation and to dispel any further rumours,” the joint statement urged.

“Katsina State Government and security agencies in the state wish to categorically state that the road remains open and has not been closed.”

Zango further reassured the public that the Dutsinma-Yantumaki to Marrarabar Kankara road is “safe and accessible for motorists.”

He emphasised that “the government has established security checkpoints for many years to ensure the safety of commuters and others using the road.”

He also mentioned that “Shutting down this road would greatly affect the local economy, as it would hinder the movement of goods and services and complicate residents’ ability to travel to work or obtain essential services.”