Ride-hailing drivers under the umbrella of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters, AUATON, have said that they will embark on strike action to demand improved working conditions for app-based transport workers.

Chairman of AUATON in Rivers, Omoruyi Amos, disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday during a news conference in Port Harcourt, stating that the strike would commence on May 1.

According to him, members of the union, including Uber, Bolt, and InDrive drivers, were being exploited by the operators of the ride-hailing platforms.

Amos said the industrial action would also take place in major cities across Nigeria and the world.

“The global log-off movement, in which the AUATON chapter in Rivers State will fully participate, is aimed at demanding improved working conditions for app-based transport workers.

“This decision was reached during an emergency meeting of the Rivers State Administrative Council, SAC, of AUATON held on April 23,” he said.

AUATON chairman further stated that during the meeting, members unanimously agreed to log off from their Uber, Bolt, InDrive, and other ride-hailing applications in protest.

“As a union, we can no longer remain silent while our members continue to suffer under these unjust and unsustainable conditions,” he added.

He also announced that a rally would be held on May 1 to mark International Workers’ Day at the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Secretariat in Port Harcourt.

He urged members of the union to assemble at the secretariat to demonstrate solidarity and raise awareness for their cause.

“The rally will serve as both a protest and a call to the government, stakeholders, and the public to support the fight for justice and dignity in Nigeria’s rapidly growing app-based transport sector.

“This global action represents a united stand by drivers worldwide, declaring that enough is enough,” Amos concluded.

United States of America tech billionaire, Elon Musk has taken a swipe at transgender people, saying, ‘It is time for the virus mind to die.”

Elon Musk, who is the lead at the Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump’s administration, made this known in a terse statement replying to a Behavioural Risk Surveillance Survey by the Centre for Disease Control on the rising percentage of US adults identifying as transgender.

According to the survey data released on X Sunday by a popular American author, John LeFerre, US adults identifying as transgender surged by year of birth.

The data means that adults identifying as transgender have been on a steady spike, especially those with birth dates from 1990 to 2005.

Reacting, Musk described the trend as a “woke mind virus in action.”

“Now, it is time for the mind virus to die,” he wrote on his X account.

His comments come after Trump’s administration showed a tough stance against transgender people since his second term inauguration in January 2025.

Recall that Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 banning biological men from women’s sports.

In a related development, on Wednesday last week, the United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled that the definition of a woman under the country’s equality law refers to biological sex.

Ekwutosblog reports that the ruling had sparked transgender protests in parts of the UK.

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‎Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) has expressed displeasure over the partial demolition of its Head Office, situated on the Owerri-Nnewi road.
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‎Mr Cornel Osigwe, Head of Corporate Communications at Innoson Group, who confirmed the demolition to newsmen, said that there was no pre notification ahead of the demolition which took place on Wednesday.
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‎He claimed that the office perimeter fence, some offices, stair case and the company’s showroom were affected by the partial demolition.
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‎According to him, there was no pre notification ahead of the demolition; it came to us as a surprise.
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‎“We did not know that the building itself was marked for demolition and if it was marked, they should have given us time to relocate.
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‎“The staff were working and they just saw the demolition vehicle demolishing the building while work was going on.
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‎“Some of our staff were trapped in the building, it took the efforts of our other staff to rescue those that were trapped while over 20 vehicles were also trapped.
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‎“A day before the demolition, there was an announcement that there was going to be a demolition and they were going to give one week for the houses that were marked for demolition to relocate.
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‎“The company was not aware that the company was marked for demolition, and even if it was aware.
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‎“There have been a public announcement that all the marked buildings have one week to relocate, but all those things were not considered
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‎“There were other buildings that were close to the head office and marked for demolition were not demolished but they came straight to our building and demolished it, making us to wonder if there was another ulterior motive to it,” he said.
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‎“Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra has been a great supporter of Innoson Vehicle and Innoson has been a great supporter of the state government.

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‎“But the way and manner that everything happened makes us to wonder if the state government is aware that those handling the demolition have personal vendetta against the company,” he added.
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