The legal team of Comrade Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, the court-recognized president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has accused the Nigeria Police Force of bias and “executive lawlessness” following his arrest in Abuja.
Baruwa and several supporters were detained on Monday by FCT Police Command operatives while attempting to enforce judicial rulings that confirmed his leadership. His lawyers claim the police have spent months ignoring valid court orders, only to now target the person those judgments were meant to protect.
The leadership dispute has been settled multiple times in court. On March 11, 2024, the National Industrial Court named Baruwa the legitimate president, a decision later upheld by the Court of Appeal on November 8, 2024. Despite these clear mandates, a rival faction led by Alhaji Usman Yasin reportedly refused to vacate the union’s national headquarters.
Baruwa’s attorney, Tolu Babaleye, stated that despite repeated requests for police assistance in executing the court’s orders—including a recent enforcement order from March 6, 2026—law enforcement remained inactive. Babaleye accused the police of abandoning their neutral role and becoming partisan actors in the dispute.
The situation turned chaotic on Monday when Baruwa arrived at the NURTW secretariat to take possession of the office. Witnesses reported that police blocked the entrance, used teargas, and assaulted supporters, with one aide allegedly being shot. The police subsequently arrested Baruwa on charges of “public disturbance,” a claim his legal team dismissed as baseless, insisting the takeover was peaceful.
Describing the arrest as a direct assault on the rule of law and a contempt of court, Baruwa’s counsel has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene. They are demanding that the Inspector General of Police withdraw all charges, secure the secretariat for the recognized leadership, and sanction the officers involved in the arrest.
This ongoing confrontation highlights the deep-seated crisis within the NURTW and raises significant concerns regarding the role of security agencies in enforcing judicial decisions in Nigeria.
