​Violence broke out in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Monday, August 24, 2026, leaving at least five individuals hospitalized with severe injuries following a clash between competing transport union factions.
​The morning disturbance caused widespread disruption across key commercial districts in the state capital, forcing local traders and commuters to scramble for safety as the confrontation escalated.
The Affected Areas include Idi-Araba and Itakudimo corridors of Ilorin where at least 5 persons wounded; over 100 tricycles reportedly seized. National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) vs. National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and Tricycle Owners’ Association of Nigeria (TOAN).
​Eyewitness and local resident Mr. Mubaraq Bello reported that the peace of the neighborhood was shattered when armed youths disembarked from several tricycles and stormed the regional headquarters of NARTO around the Idi-Araba and Itakudimo axes. The assailants, wielding cutlasses, stones, and blunt weapons, launched a targeted strike on the facility and union operators nearby.
​According to NARTO member Abubakar Olatunbosun, the assault occurred while their representatives were en route to the State Police Headquarters in Ilorin to address ongoing administrative disputes.
Olatunbosun directly implicated members of the NURTW, RTEAN, and TOAN in the coordinated attack, claiming the coalition forcibly confiscated more than 100 commercial tricycles belonging to NARTO operators.
​Among the injured was Lukman Iyanda, who suffered a broken arm after being ambushed while operating his vehicle in Itakudimo, and Abdulwasiu Jamiu, whose tricycle was forcefully seized during the melee.
​In the aftermath of the incident, NARTO executive Abubakar Olatunbosun called on the Kwara State Government and security agencies to step in immediately, recover the seized transport assets, and restore order.
He reaffirmed that NARTO members have intentionally refrained from launching reprisal attacks to preserve peace in the state. Security teams have since been dispatched to monitor key transit points and deter further violence.
