The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Tajudeen Baruwa alongside six other individuals in connection with the forceful takeover of the national secretariat of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja.
Baruwa, a former president of the union, reportedly led a group to the secretariat on Monday after removing Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, citing multiple court rulings.
He referenced a November 2024 judgment by the court of appeal in Abuja, which upheld an earlier ruling of the national industrial court that reinstated him for a second term.
The incident triggered outrage, with videos circulating online alleging that officers of the FCT police command opened fire on some NURTW members during the takeover attempt.
However, the police, in a statement issued by spokesperson Josephine Adeh, described the claims as false and misleading, noting that they were intended to incite public sentiment.
Adeh disclosed that the command received a distress call around 7am reporting that about 300 individuals armed with cutlasses, bottles, bows, and arrows had stormed the NURTW headquarters and were removing items from the premises.
She added that Isyaku Sharu, deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations, led a response team to the location.
According to her, preliminary findings indicated that the suspects attempted to enforce a court order without the presence of court sheriffs or other authorised officials.
She explained that the situation escalated into a physical clash when other union members resisted, leaving one individual with severe machete injuries to the neck.
The injured victim was rescued by police officers, while others with varying degrees of injuries were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Adeh confirmed that seven suspects, including Baruwa, were apprehended at the scene.
She identified the others as Sulaiman Musa, Nasiru Ibrahim, Alhaji Sadisu Musa, Dalha Suleiman, Abdullahi Garba, and Saheed Fojebi.
“They have been charged to Magistrate court 1 Wuse Zone 2, While normalcy has since been restored to the area,” the statement read.
“The Command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents of the FCT.”