Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has urged the Federal Government to promptly reinstate Tajudeen Baruwa as the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in accordance with court rulings that affirmed his leadership.
In a statement issued to the press on Monday, Falana appealed directly to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure compliance with the judgments of both the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal, which have consistently upheld Baruwa’s leadership.
The statement, titled “FG Should Restore Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa as President of NURTW Without Delay,” outlined the sequence of events leading to the legal battle over Baruwa’s leadership. Falana recalled the violent invasion of the NURTW’s national secretariat in Abuja on August 28, 2023, when a group of armed thugs stormed the premises, killing one of the security personnel guarding the building. During this invasion, Baruwa and several of his executive members were forcibly removed from office.
In the aftermath, Baruwa and 21 other union members, including three other national officers, were arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, and other offenses. They were initially detained at the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) facility in Guzape, Abuja. According to Falana, the attackers seized control of the secretariat and orchestrated the removal of Baruwa and his team, leading to their arrest.
The murder charge against Baruwa and his associates was eventually withdrawn and struck out, but the legal battle continued. In March 2024, the National Industrial Court ruled in Baruwa’s favor, recognizing him and his team as the legitimately elected leaders of the NURTW. This judgment was subsequently contested by his opponents in the Court of Appeal.
On November 8, 2024, the Court of Appeal upheld the National Industrial Court’s ruling, reaffirming Baruwa’s position as the legitimate NURTW President. Falana emphasized that the ruling is final and binding, urging the Federal Government to respect the courts’ decisions.
Call for action
Falana underscored the urgency of enforcing the judgment, stating that failure to comply would undermine public confidence in the justice system. He added, “Justice delayed is justice denied. The Federal Government must act swiftly to restore Comrade Baruwa to his rightful position.”
Meanwhile, on November 10, Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, was elected the new national president of NURTW. Akinsanya, who was the sole candidate, won the election held at the union’s Zonal Secretariat along the Osogbo/Ikirun Road. Delegates from the Southwest states of Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Ekiti participated in the election.
