Human Rights Lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has firmly instructed the federal government to immediately reinstate Tajudeen Baruwa as the rightful president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
Falana’s strong stance follows the controversial election of Alhaji Musliu Akinsaya, known as MC Oluomo, as the union’s national president. The leadership team under Baruwa has unequivocally declared the inauguration of MC Oluomo as illegal, null, and void, referencing rulings from both the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal that affirmed Baruwa’s position as the legitimate president.
In a forceful statement, Falana called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, along with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to act without delay to restore Baruwa as the national president of NURTW.
The statement, titled ‘FG Must Restore Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa as NURTW President Immediately,’ outlines the grave events of August 28, 2023, when armed thugs violently invaded the National Secretariat of the NURTW in Abuja. Tragically, one security personnel was killed during the attack.
Following this brazen act of violence, the Secretariat was unlawfully seized, and Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa, along with his Executive members, were arrested and falsely charged with murder in a Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory. Ultimately, the murder charges were withdrawn and struck out only after the illegal takeover of the Secretariat.
As a law-abiding citizen, Comrade Baruwa sought legal recourse through the National Industrial Court. On March 11, 2024, the Court firmly affirmed Baruwa and his Executive as the duly elected leaders of the NURTW.
Dissatisfied with this ruling, Baruwa’s opponents took the matter to the Court of Appeal, which, on November 8, 2024, unequivocally dismissed their appeal, thereby upholding the National Industrial Court’s judgment that recognized Baruwa as the true President of the NURTW.
In light of these clear and binding legal decisions, we demand that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi SAN, along with the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, take immediate action to ensure Comrade Baruwa is restored to his rightful position in strict adherence to the judgments of both the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal.