Members of the Professional E-hailing Drivers and Private Owners Drivers’ Association have accused the personnel of the Lagos State Police Command of arresting some of their officials for organising a protest against ride-hailing firms.

Members of the association, which comprises drivers of Uber, Bolt and other ride-hailing firms, had on Monday commenced a one-week protest to demand a change in the welfare package of the drivers and incorporating the association in decision-making affecting the drivers.

However, when the drivers converged on the National Stadium, Surulere...some policemen from the Surulere Police Station allegedly arrested some of the drivers and executive of the association...

The National Publicity Secretary of the association, Joseph Olawale, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday, said... "... the second day schedule was that we wanted to move from the National Stadium to the governor’s office at Alausa to present our letter to him, but as people were gathering, some policemen from the Surulere Police Station came to arrest some of the officials. They arrested the vice-president, the treasurer and two DJs, and when the president came to bail them, they also arrested him.

“...we are asking them to review the fares to make them commensurate with the services being rendered and at the same time that will not be too burdensome on the riders. We have asked for a roundtable discussion whereby the union and the drivers’ representatives will be there and the companies will be there too."

Olawale told our correspondent that letters were written to the police to notify them of the protest

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, promised to find out and get back to our correspondent, but he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

Idris Shonuga, the President of the Professional E-hailing Drivers and Private Owners Association (PEDPA), was among those arrested. See Idris Shonuga's case in our database of attacks against human rights defenders (HRDs).