The arrest has since sparked outrage, with his legal team alleging that the police not only refused to enforce valid court orders for months but have now turned against the beneficiary of those judgments.
The legal battle over the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has taken a dramatic turn, with lawyers to the court-recognised president, Comrade Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, accusing the Nigeria Police Force of “executive lawlessness” following his arrest in Abuja.
Baruwa was arrested on Monday by operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command alongside several of his supporters when he moved to enforce court judgments affirming him as the authentic leader of the union.
The arrest has since sparked outrage, with his legal team alleging that the police not only refused to enforce valid court orders for months but have now turned against the beneficiary of those judgments.
According to court records, the leadership tussle within the NURTW had already been decided by competent courts.
On March 11, 2024, the National Industrial Court declared Baruwa the duly elected National President of the union and ordered rival claimants to vacate the national secretariat.
The ruling was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal on November 8, 2024, which dismissed an appeal filed by a rival faction led by Alhaji Usman Yasin and reaffirmed Baruwa’s mandate.
Despite these judgments, the crisis persisted, forcing Baruwa to return to court. On March 6, 2026, the court issued further enforcement orders, including freezing union accounts and directing that the secretariat be handed over to his leadership.
In a statement issued on Monday, Baruwa’s lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, accused the police of deliberately refusing to enforce the court rulings.
The statement noted that repeated requests were made to various police formations to assist in executing the judgments, but those efforts were either ignored or rejected.
“The Nigeria Police Force has descended into the arena of partisan combat, abandoning its sacred duty as the guardian of law and order,” the statement said.
The lawyer further revealed that the Attorney General of the Federation was also notified of the situation but allegedly failed to act.
Trouble began when Baruwa and his supporters arrived at the NURTW national headquarters in Abuja on Monday to take possession of the office in line with the court rulings.
Eyewitnesses said the situation quickly escalated as police officers allegedly blocked access to the secretariat, fired teargas, and assaulted some of the supporters.
One of Baruwa’s aides was reportedly shot during the chaos, although details about the victim’s condition remain unclear.
Despite claims that the takeover was peaceful, police operatives arrested Baruwa and several of his officers, accusing them of “public disturbance.”
His legal team described the allegation as “laughable and cynical.”
“This exercise was conducted in the most peaceful manner imaginable. There was no violence. There was no disturbance,” the statement insisted.
Baruwa’s counsel accused the police of bias, insisting that the arrest amounts to a direct assault on the rule of law.
“The police have chosen sides. By refusing to enforce the Court of Appeal judgment for months, and now arresting its beneficiary, they have demonstrated an unconscionable bias,” the statement read.
The lawyer also described the arrest as contempt of court, arguing that law enforcement authorities were effectively punishing a citizen for enforcing valid judicial pronouncements.
The legal team called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the matter.
They urged the President to direct the Inspector General of Police to withdraw all charges against Baruwa, provide security at the union secretariat, and ensure strict enforcement of court judgments.
They also demanded sanctions against officers allegedly involved in the arrest.
The development underscores the deepening crisis within the NURTW, one of Nigeria’s most influential transport unions, with factions locked in a prolonged power struggle.
Although Baruwa had earlier insisted that his actions were lawful and backed by court rulings, Monday’s confrontation has raised fresh concerns about the enforcement of judicial decisions and the role of security agencies in civil disputes.
“The law is the foundation of order. When the police refuse to uphold the law, they become the architects of anarchy,” his lawyer stated.
