By Ovat Abeng
The President of the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN), Alh. Abdulfatai Adisa Ogunwale (aka, Baba Ede), has told its members all over the country to reject multiple and illegal levies in all its forms.
Ogunwale, issued the warning while addressing newsmen in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State, on Tuesday.
Alleged illegal taskforce comprising of expelled members of the organization held over 25 truck loads of scraps, drivers and their escorts hostage for 3 days at the Asaba end of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, as some of the escorts were beaten to stupor, and forcefully extorted of large sums of money. They also insisted that each owner would pay sum of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) for not registering with their faction, and not possessing their membership ID cards.
The development sparked outrage among members of the union, who called for immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of concerned persons.
The national president described the action as illegal, and contravening the union’s constitution and other labour laws in Nigeria.
According to him, the fake taskforce were members expelled by the National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN) through a letter dated September 26th, 2025, over alleged violation of the union’s constitution, Article 10, and other labour laws in Nigeria.
He said, “The expelled members have impersonated the current leadership by organizing an illegal National Delegates Conference (NDC) on the 28 of August, 2025, thereby, undermining the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment instruction letter dated 26th August, 2025, with Ref. number: FMLE/RTU/134/IV/182.”
He also claimed that the expelled officials had, prior to their expulsion, extorted members of the union to the tune of over one billion, and refused to defend themselves before the NASWDEN disciplenary committee, or render financial accounts before the union’s founding fathers, board of trustees, Central Working Committee, National Working Committee and the National Delegates Conference.
He equally accused the expelled members of declaring themselves as national officers of the union, thereby, impersonating the current democratically elected national president and other officers; adding that the expelled members also converted union’s physical assets to their personal and family belongings.
“I call on our members at the Southeast and South South to resist this extortion and molestation by this illegal faction.
We have already expelled them over alleged anti union activities. Our authentic president recognized by the Federal Ministry of Labour is Comerade Abdulfatai Adisa Ogunwale; while the National General Secretary is Comerade Stephen Isobomuwa Obayuwana. They are the authentic president and secretary elected under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Labour, and was given acknowledgement letter of recognition.
“Don’t give them any money on the roads; by the time there are hold-ups on the road, relevant authorities will ask them questions. Henceforth, nobody should give them any kobo to for their so-called registration. Our registration is coming very soon. Anybody that registers with the criminal faction is doing so at his own risk.”
He regretted that security agencies connive with the “criminal group” to extort money from the scrap dealers doing their legitimate businesses, and said that the union had petitioned the Inspector General of Police with names of expelled members, and warned affected persons to steer clear every activities of the union, else they would be arrested and procecuted.
“The following stand expelled, and should no longer be recognized as officials of our union: Uche Ogbu Luke, Ismail Ajegbe aka Charger, Anayo Ogbu Christopher, Auwal Tuje, JohnPaul Omeonu, Oche Christopher Obeh and John Egaji Obeh,” he concluded.
Also speaking one of the truck drivers who were detained by the alleged illegal taskforce of expelled members, decried what he called neck twisting multiple levies imposed on them.
He said, “While conveying scraps from Awka to Benin, we’re made to pay several levies to the tasksforce. In Delta State alone, each truck pay N73,000 in Asaba and N53,000 in Issele – Azagba; and at Benin ring road, we pay N50,000 to the tasksforce. How much do we gain from every trip?
“We call on the current national leadership of NASWDEN to address the issue. We also call on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, as well as State Ministries of Environment to also intervene and save scrap and waste dealers from further extortion and intimidation.”
