With just few hours into the planned nationwide strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) has distanced itself from the action, stressing that drivers cannot be forced into union membership.

Naijaonpoint reports that in a statement issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Saturday, the association made it clear that it had no affiliation with NUPENG and would not participate in the strike scheduled to begin Monday, September 8, 2025.

“We are not a union, and we are not joining issues with NUPENG,” the DTCDA National President, Enoch Kanawa, said in the statement.

“However, we deem it necessary to set the record straight, as stakeholders in Nigeria’s transport industry, and to prevent the public from being misled.”

The association reiterated its commitment to national service and constitutional values, while warning against attempts to compel drivers into joining unions against their will.

“The right to freedom of association is guaranteed in the constitution, and no group or organisation should attempt to coerce drivers into membership,” the statement added.

The group assured the public that it would continue to discharge its duties in line with the law and urged stakeholders not to politicise its position.

The DTCDA’s stance adds a new dimension to the brewing industrial action, coming at a time when concerns are high about the potential impact of the NUPENG strike on fuel supply and transportation nationwide.