Anambra State has moved to dissolve every transport union and association operating within its borders. In a public service announcement dated 24 July 2026, the Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Edward Ibuzo, ordered the immediate cancellation and proscription of all such groups.
The notice, issued under the Anambra State Road Traffic Law 1991, covers commercial motorcycle, tricycle, bus, taxi, mini-truck, tipper, lorry and truck operators. The ministry said it would soon unveil new government-approved transport unions that will serve as the only recognised umbrella bodies for these operators. All transporters were directed to comply strictly.
The decision follows long-standing complaints about leadership tussles, factionalism and alleged extortion within the sector. Earlier in June, the same commissioner had warned that unions refusing to harmonise could face proscription. The latest directive takes that warning a step further by dissolving all existing groups at once.
The announcement also ordered roadside mechanics, vulcanizers, traders and owners of abandoned or unserviceable vehicles to clear public roads within 72 hours. Those who fail to comply risk arrest, prosecution, fines and having their vehicles towed at their own expense.
Human rights lawyer and academic Chidi Anselm Odinkalu has questioned the legality of the move. He argued that transport unions are trade unions regulated under the Exclusive Legislative List of the Nigerian Constitution, a position established during the military era. According to him, a state commissioner lacks the power to dissolve them.
Odinkalu further noted that freedom of association is a constitutional right. Any restriction, he said, must be properly prescribed by law. Creating government-selected unions, he added, turns free association into a state-controlled arrangement.
The directive has sparked debate among transporters and legal observers. Many operators are waiting to see how the new approved unions will be structured and whether the existing associations will challenge the order in court.
For now, the ministry insists the measure is necessary to restore order and end the proliferation of rival groups that have long troubled the state’s transport sector. Enforcement of both the union ban and the roadside clearance notice is expected to begin shortly.
