Tajudeen Baruwa Reclaims NURTW Headquarters in Abuja; MC Oluomo Ousted as Police Arrest Seven in Morning Scuffle

The long-running battle for the soul of Nigeria’s most powerful transport union took a dramatic turn today. On Monday, March 23, 2026, Tajudeen Baruwa successfully reclaimed the National Secretariat of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja, effectively ending the brief presidency of Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo).

Standing outside the secretariat in Garki II, Baruwa told journalists that his patience had finally run out after waiting nearly two years for his rivals to obey the law. “We are not here to cause trouble,” Baruwa insisted. “We have judgments from the Industrial Court and the Appeal Court confirming me as the rightful president. We notified the police, but since they wouldn’t act, we decided to resume our duties ourselves.”

However, the “peaceful” takeover was met with immediate police intervention. By 7:00 AM, a distress call led security forces to the building, where they allegedly found over 300 individuals armed with weapons. The police arrested seven suspects, including high-ranking union officials, for “breach of peace” and “removal of property.” Despite the arrests, Baruwa’s faction appears to have held its ground, and the building is currently under heavy security watch.

For MC Oluomo, this development marks a significant legal and political setback. The Court of Appeal had recently dismissed his supporters’ attempts to stop Baruwa, even awarding fines against them. As Baruwa settles back into the office he was forced out of in 2023, the transport industry is watching closely to see if this “Solution” will finally bring peace to the roads or if a fresh round of protests is on the horizon.