Baruwa storms NURTW Secretariat, sacks MC Oluomo as President

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The leadership crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) escalated on Monday as Tajudeen Baruwa assumed control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, effectively unseating Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo.

Baruwa, who addressed journalists at the secretariat after the takeover, said his action was backed by subsisting court judgments affirming his position as the union’s legitimate president.

He explained that the union had earlier notified the Nigeria Police Force, attaching copies of the judgments to facilitate the recovery of the secretariat, but expressed dissatisfaction with the response from security authorities.

According to him, the decision to take over the premises followed what he described as prolonged non-compliance with court orders, despite waiting for about two years.

Baruwa insisted that the action was peaceful and in line with the law, stressing that the move was not a forceful takeover but the enforcement of judicial pronouncements.

He also alleged that members of the opposing faction attacked one of his supporters during the development, although he noted that the situation remained under control.

The union’s General Secretary, Suleiman Musa, supported the move, stating that repeated appeals to those occupying the secretariat to vacate had failed, necessitating the action.

The development follows a series of court decisions, including rulings by the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal, which affirmed Baruwa as the duly elected president of the union and restrained interference with his leadership.