The leadership crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has taken a fresh legal twist as the Federal Capital Territory Police Command charged members of the Tajudeen Baruwa-led faction to court over an alleged attempt to reclaim the union’s national headquarters through “self-help.”
The latest confrontation followed a move by police operatives to dislodge members of the Baruwa group from the NURTW national secretariat located in Garki, Abuja, shortly after they had gained entry into the premises on Monday.
Sources said that several union members were assaulted and chased out during the operation, while some key figures, including Baruwa, were taken into custody.
However, the General Secretary of the union, Suleiman Abdulkadir Musa, defended the action of the Baruwa faction, insisting that the group acted based on a valid court judgment granting it control of the union’s headquarters.
Musa said the group relied on a ruling delivered by the Court of Appeal, which affirmed an earlier judgment of the National Industrial Court delivered in March 2024.
He argued that the police charges were misplaced and that the constitution allows parties to enforce court judgments.
“When we took over, the police came and chased us out. So many of our members were chased out; some were even beaten by the police. Those they invited went to the command, and after giving their statements, they felt they had to take us to court,” Musa told Leadership.
“We acted based on the law. Yet they are accusing us of self-help, and once we are done, we will gather ourselves and decide on the next line of action.”
The dispute within the union dates back to 2023, when internal disagreements led to the emergence of parallel leadership structures.
Both Tajudeen Baruwa and Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, have laid claim to the union’s national leadership.
In March 2024, the National Industrial Court declared Baruwa the duly elected president of the union.
The judgment was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in November 2024, which dismissed challenges filed by loyalists of MC Oluomo and urged compliance with the ruling.
The latest confrontation reportedly stems from differing interpretations of a recent appellate court ruling delivered in March, which the Baruwa faction said restrained the rival group from operating under the union’s name.
Baruwa argued that the ruling reaffirmed his authority, prompting the move to assume control of the national headquarters.
Reacting to the development, Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) rejected Baruwa’s claims and insisted that the judgment relied upon by the rival faction had already been appealed.
According to him, a stay of execution had also been entered.
“The attention of the national president, NURTW, Alhaji Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, has been drawn to the forceful takeover of the union’s national secretariat by Mr Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa,” he said.
“He was not a defendant in the purported judgment. The judgment has been appealed, and a stay of execution has been duly entered. He has not engaged with Mr Baruwa or any individual, aware that cases are pending in court.”
But Musa dismissed claims that a valid appeal capable of halting enforcement of the judgment exists.
According to him, the only appeal filed relates to the interpretation of the March 6 ruling, which he said his faction had already won.
“When we got that judgment, it clearly stated that the other group should vacate the office, stop issuing permits in the name of the union, and they were perpetually restrained from interfering with union affairs,” he said.
“The appeal they are talking about is on the interpretation delivered on March 6. According to them, they appealed that decision, but we have not received any such order, nor is there any stay of execution.”