One person was seriously injured while nine vehicles were vandalised after two factions of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Ilorin, Kwara State, clashed over a change of leadership on Thursday.

The secretariat of the union was also vandalised in the violence which lasted over 12 hours.

Trouble started when a faction of the union allegedly demanded that the current leadership of the union should vacate office for a new leadership.

The faction was said to have demanded the dissolution of the leadership, arguing that the tenure of the current administration had lapsed.

The enraged faction was said to have mobilised some hoodlums, who unleashed mayhem at the RTEAN Park at Saw Mill, Ilorin, and damaged about nine vehicles.

Eyewitnesses said different weapons were freely used, while traders around the vicinity scampered for safety.

It took the intervention of security agents to restore law and order.

When our correspondent visited the secretariat on Friday evening, about four riot policemen and a patrol vehicle were seen at the scene.

A union official who pleaded anonymity said they were taken unawares by the attack. He said about eight people were arrested in connection with the mayhem.

He said, "About 2.30 pm on Thursday, I was informed that some members of our union were about to cause trouble and vandalise properties.

"I asked why they would want to do such a thing and I was told that they were demanding the resignation of our chairman.

"When we had a meeting with the police after the violence, a police officer told them that since we have a national body at Abuja, they should have written a letter, complaining that the tenure of the current chairman had expired and that he should hand over and that they should have waited for the reply rather than embarking on the destruction of properties."

The official said about eight people suspected to be the instigators of the violence had been arrested by the police.

Another RTEAN member who declined giving his name accused the leadership of the union of sit-tight syndrome.

"Those officials are too greedy and want to remain in office forever. After spending two terms of five years each, they still want to rule for another term, so our people got angry and the fracas started," He said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kwara State Command, Mr. Ezekiel Dabo, said normalcy had been restored.

"We called them for a meeting. And they are cooperating. I do not know what their grouse is about," he said.

The state government has also appealed to the two factions to sheathe their swords allow dialogue in resolving their differences.

Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Labour Matters, Mr. Bisi Fakayode, directed that a stakeholders' meeting on how to resolve the dispute be quickly initiated.

Ahmed said, "All the warring factions should remain calm and eschew violence as the government would not tolerate any act of lawlessness. The state government would not fold its hands and watch some sets of people take laws into their hands."

He said another meeting with the national leadership of the association had been scheduled for Monday (today) where further decision on how best to resolve the dispute would be taken.