ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — The Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS) is advising bus and taxi operators to avoid Spanish Town, St Catherine as tensions escalate following the fatal shooting of Othneil Lobban, also known as ‘Thickman’, the alleged leader of the One Order Gang.

READ: Reputed One Order Gang leader shot dead by police

“I support the taxi men’s decision to resort to a withdrawal of service until things return to normal. The taxi men are at the centre of the movement of commuters in the town, and we are urging them not to go close to what is taking place in the old capital at this time,” President of TODSS, Egeton Newman said.

Newman disseminated a voice note to the press, urging bus and taxi operators to exercise “extreme caution” in the Spanish Town area.

“Due to developments from yesterday into this morning, TODDS urges all our colleagues, fellow bus and taxi operators to be mindful of the developments in that section of Jamaica, the old capital, and be on your extreme caution, red alert, to the developments and if you can stay away, please stay away from the Spanish Town area, especially the bus park, the taxi stand within that vicinity,” Newman urged.

“We don’t want to have any of our members caught in what is happening there. We urge you to stay away from the Spanish Town area until further notice,” he added.

Since the fatal shooting of Lobban, there have been reports of unrest in Spanish Town, including sporadic gunfire in the Tawes Pen area.

The notorious One Order Gang allegedly operates a multimillion-dollar racket in Spanish Town, extorting money from private business operators, transport operators and market vendors.

One Order is reportedly headquartered in the Tawes Pen community and has strongholds in communities such as Ellerslie Pen, Dempshire Pen, Gordon Pen, Shelter Rock, Homestead and Chambers Lane.

READ: Security forces on high alert in Spanish Town after reputed gang leader killed

-Claude Mills