Police Detains NURTW President, Seal National Secretariat

Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has been arrested by Nigerian Police Force (NPF) operatives.

Police officers also arrested the union’s General Secretary, Anthony Asogwa Chukudi; National Trustee, Olayi Odion; and Principal Assistant Secretary, Abdulrasak Yemi, according to Gistlover.

Isa Ore, the union’s Deputy President, confirmed the situation to SaharaReporters on Saturday, saying that the officers of the union have recently been arrested at the Wuse Zone 3 Division in Abuja.

He stated that the officers were apprehended on the grounds of the secretariat around 5 p.m. on Friday when armed police officers and Department of State Services (DSS) agents raided and blocked off the union’s National Secretariat, which is located at Garki  2 Abuja

According to Ore, the cops did not provide a justification for securing the premises and requested all people to leave.

He said, “Today, Saturday, we were preparing for the inauguration and swearing-in of the newly elected National Administrative Council members, but we just saw police, and they asked us to leave the premises. They said it was an order from above and they have detained our president and other leaders at Wuse police station.”

It was revealed that the union released a statement on Wednesday, August 9, stating that some persons planned to hold a violent demonstration at the organization’s secretariat against the delegates’ meeting scheduled for Saturday, August 12.

According to reports, the union sought security from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command to defend against any possible attack and breakdown of law and order.

It was learned that the union held an election in May 2023 that produced the new leaders who were to be properly inaugurated today (Saturday), August 12.