Di leadership wahala wey dey shake National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) don enter new phase as Tajudeen Baruwa don take control of di union national secretariat for Abuja on Monday, March 23, 2026. Baruwa action come after series of court judgments wey support am as di authentic president of di transport union, wey make am displace Musiliu Akinsanya, wey pipo sabi as MC Oluomo.
According to reports from multiple news sources, Baruwa and im supporters enter di NURTW secretariat for Abuja to claim di office based on court orders wey affirm am as di duly elected president. Di court cases wey involve National Industrial Court of Nigeria and Court of Appeal Nigeria don give Baruwa legal backing for im claim to di union leadership.
Justice O.O. Oyewumi of di National Industrial Court for Abuja don rule for suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023 say Baruwa na di authentic president of NURTW. Dis judgment come get support from Court of Appeal for Abuja wey uphold am for November 8, 2024 ruling with Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024. Di appellate court panel wey include Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Nnamdi Dimgba, and Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi dismiss appeal wey Najeem Usman Yasin, Tajudeen Agbede, and others file, wey dem describe as no get merit.
Baruwa talk to journalists for di secretariat say im action na to obey court orders wey don pass. Im explain say di union don notify Nigeria Police Force with certified copies of di court judgments to help dem recover di secretariat, but im express disappointment with police response. “Dem body language no dey encouraging despite our assurance say we no come make trouble. We be law-abiding union wey just want collect wetin belong to us,” Baruwa talk.
But di situation turn when police arrest Baruwa after im take over di secretariat. Reports show say tension rise for di secretariat as one Baruwa supporter get gunshot wound when security operatives try scatter pipo wey dey di place. Di arrest come despite court orders wey affirm Baruwa as di authentic chairman, wey raise questions about security agencies role for di matter.
General Secretary of di union, Suleiman Musa, talk say dem don notify police about di planned takeover based on court order. “We tell police say by court order, we dey come back to our office today, and we happy say journalists dey here to witness am so di world go know wetin dey happen,” Musa talk.
Di NURTW leadership crisis don dey for over two years after delegates conference wey cause controversy no produce clear national officers. MC Oluomo, wey be All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, don dey occupy di national secretariat despite di dispute. Monday development show say di crisis still dey hot as different factions dey fight for control.
Baruwa talk say im still open to reconciliation but emphasize say nobody above di law. “We still dey open for reconciliation. We no be trouble makers. Nobody above di law,” im talk. But with police arrest and reported shooting incident, di path to peace for di transport union look more complicated.
Di court judgments wey involve Baruwa, Bello Adamu, Eugene Job, Danjuma Saidu, Prince Isah Usman, Suleiman Adamu and Odion Olaye JP as claimants get strong legal backing. Di appellate court even award N100,000 costs against appellants wey be loyalists of MC Oluomo, wey include Yasin, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, Alhaji Aliyu Ore, Kayode Agbeyangi, Alhaji Alhassan Haruna 313, Aliyu Tanimu and Alhaji Hakeem Adeosun.
As di situation dey now, di future of NURTW leadership remain uncertain with legal, security and political dimensions all dey play role. Di transport union wey control motor parks across Nigeria need stable leadership to function well, but current crisis dey threaten dat stability.
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