The leadership crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers escalated on Monday as Tajudeen Baruwa was arrested by police hours after leading his faction to take control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Baruwa and his supporters had earlier stormed the headquarters, removing the faction loyal to Musiliu Akinsanya before security operatives intervened and took him into custody.
The takeover and arrest mark a major turning point in the prolonged power struggle between the two factions, a dispute that has divided the union since 2024. While members of the union had elected Akinsanya as National President in November 2024, subsequent court rulings favoured Baruwa, setting the stage for the dramatic developments.
Speaking to journalists shortly after reclaiming the secretariat, Baruwa insisted his actions were lawful and backed by court judgments.
He explained that the union had formally notified the Nigerian Police, attaching copies of the judgments to facilitate the recovery of the office, but received what he described as an unconvincing response.
Baruwa said, “Their body language has not been encouraging despite repeated assurance that we are not going back to foment any trouble as we are a law-abiding union whose only mission is to get back what belonged to them.
“But today, as you can see, we are taking over in a peaceful manner, and it is not a forceful takeover but just carrying out the court’s orders.
“Again, please be aware that our coming here after two years is to occupy our office, having obtained judgments at both the lower court and the Appeal Court, but they refused to obey court orders after waiting for about two years. We decided to resume back at the office today without causing any violence, and here we are.
“Although the other faction attacked one of our members, who is now in the hospital, the situation is under control. We are still open to reconciliation as we are a lawful organization and not a troublemaker. No one is above the law.”
Also defending the action, the union’s General Secretary, Suleiman Musa, said all efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully had failed.
“We have notified the police that, on the order of the court, we are coming back to our office today, and we are glad that journalists are here to witness it so that the world will know what is going on here,” Musa said.
The crisis stems from a long-running leadership battle, with Baruwa opposing the emergence of Akinsanya as union president.
Earlier rulings by the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal had restrained interference in the Baruwa-led executive.
In a judgment delivered in suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023, Justice O.O. Oyewumi affirmed Baruwa as the duly elected president of the union.
Similarly, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, in a judgment delivered on November 8 in appeal number CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024, upheld the earlier decision, confirming Baruwa as the legitimate leader of the union.
The appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by Najeem Usman Yasin and others for lacking merit and awarded N100,000 in costs against the appellants, who are aligned with the MC Oluomo faction.
Despite these rulings, tensions persist within the union, with Monday’s events highlighting the deep divisions and ongoing struggle for control.
What you should know
The arrest of Baruwa underscores how volatile the NURTW leadership crisis has become despite multiple court rulings.
While the judiciary has repeatedly affirmed Baruwa as president, enforcement remains a challenge, leading to confrontations between rival factions. The situation reflects broader issues of power, influence, and institutional control within major unions in Nigeria.
With police now involved, the crisis could either move toward resolution or escalate further depending on how authorities handle the dispute.
