The Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) Zone ‘C’ Chairman Alhaji Azeez Abiola (aka Istijabah) has apologised to Chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) over libelous act.

Abiola in a video broadcast said his statement during crisis between him and Akinsanya was not true and spoken out of annoyance.

He had alleged that Akinsanya killed one Hamburger, Baba Esi, Ade Lawyer and a host of others.

Abiola’s retraction followed a peaceful meeting between the duo where the former Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Hakeem Odumosu (retd) settled their crisis.

He said: “When there’s a crisis; one will be forced to say some things out annoyance. Alhaji Akinsanya is not a murderer. He didn’t kill anyone. What I said then was unfounded. Even if some people are saying it, people like me should not be peddling such lies.

“Akinsanya is just paying the price of being a public figure whereby people will say all sorts of things to bring him into disrepute. Like I said, he’s not a murderer and never kill someone in my presence. I seek Allah’s forgiveness for making the statement.”

Abiola said he and his boys have joined the Parks and Garages Management announced by the Lagos state government to replace the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

He thanked Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Commissioner for Transportation Frederick Oladeinde and Odumosu for their fatherly roles in settling the matter.

Akinsanya demanded N1 billion from Abiola for the libelous act or he will go to court

In a letter written to Abiola by Akinsanya’s lawyer, Adejare Kembi of Excel Practitioners, said Abiola’s broadcast disparaged and presented Akinsanya “as a murderer of no mean repute, a liar, a forger, a person of no reputation and a habitual briber of the police. Furthermore, you have expressly called him a covetous person, a liar and a thief.

“Indeed, you knew that the information as stated above in your publication are false in their entirety and these false statements are deliberately concocted to bring our client into disrepute and bring public opprobrium upon him.” (The Nation)

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