The leadership crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) escalated on Monday as Tajudeen Baruwa assumed control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, displacing rival faction leader Musiliu Akinsanya.
Baruwa, who arrived at the secretariat with supporters from across the country, told journalists that the takeover was backed by court rulings affirming his leadership of the union.
He said the union had earlier notified the Nigeria Police Force, attaching copies of the judgments to facilitate the recovery of the secretariat. However, he noted that the response from security authorities was not encouraging, prompting the union to issue a fresh notice of its intention to reclaim the premises.
“We are taking over in a peaceful manner. This is not a forceful action but the execution of valid court orders,” Baruwa said, adding that his faction had waited nearly two years for compliance with the rulings.
He alleged that members of the rival faction attacked one of his supporters during the process, leaving the victim hospitalised, but maintained that the situation remained under control. Baruwa also expressed openness to reconciliation, stressing that the union remained law abiding.
The union’s General Secretary, Suleiman Musa, said repeated appeals to those occupying the secretariat to vacate had been ignored, necessitating the takeover in line with court directives.
The development follows a series of judicial pronouncements that affirmed Baruwa as the legitimate president of the union. The National Industrial Court of Nigeria had earlier recognised him as the duly elected leader in a ruling delivered in 2023.
Similarly, the Court of Appeal Nigeria, in a judgment delivered on November 8, 2024, upheld the lower court’s decision, dismissing an appeal filed by loyalists of Akinsanya for lacking merit.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three member panel, also awarded ₦100,000 in costs against the appellants, reinforcing Baruwa’s claim to the union’s leadership.
Baruwa has consistently opposed the emergence of Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, as president, a dispute that has deepened divisions within the NURTW.
