ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – In a tense and chaotic turn of events at the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) secretariat in Abuja, residents were forced to flee as gunfire rang out.
Two competing factions within the NURTW engaged in a fierce confrontation, adding fuel to a heated leadership crisis that has persisted for over a year.
This power struggle began when Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, a prominent figure and the state chairman of the NURTW in Lagos, rebelled against the national leadership of the union.
Tajudeen Badru Agbede, aligning himself with MC Oluomo, mobilized a group of individuals from Lagos state who descended upon the union’s secretariat in Garki 2. Their target was the national officers, including the incumbent president, Tajudeen Baruwa, as reported by Sahara Reporters.
This attack appears to be part of MC Oluomo’s strategy to regain his national standing within the union after rejoining the NURTW, thereby abandoning his previous role as the head of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Committee (LASPARK), which enjoyed the support of the state government.
The assailants managed to take control of the national secretariat, forcing the union’s officers out of their own premises. Interestingly, the officers from the State Security Services (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force, deployed to maintain order and prevent violence, remained passive observers, standing on the sidelines as chaos unfolded. Their inaction added to the overall sense of unease.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Army Warns Unknown Gunmen, Bandits, Boko Haram To Surrender Or…
MC Oluomo faced suspension in 2022 due to several allegations, including insubordination. Although he was later granted a pardon, his refusal to issue an apology to his superiors, in line with the union’s protocols, led to the dissolution of his executive cabinet by the national leadership.
As Tajudeen Baruwa’s tenure neared its conclusion, MC Oluomo threw his support behind Agbede’s bid to lead the interim caretaker committee responsible for overseeing the union until the next election.
It is anticipated that Mr Agbede will reintegrate Mr Akinsanya into the union and safeguard the empire he has unilaterally controlled, with the backing of state authorities in Lagos, often disregarding national-level coordination and obligations.
Amid escalating tensions, the Baruwa faction rallied their youthful members in an attempt to reclaim control of the secretariat from the Agbede faction.
However, their efforts were met with resistance when the previously passive security forces resorted to firing warning shots to disperse the angry crowd. This use of force by the police only intensified the already volatile atmosphere.
In the days leading up to this tumultuous event, MC Oluomo released a video announcing his return to the NURTW, citing disagreements with the Baruwa leadership as his reason for initially leaving.
The fallout from this clash now leaves the union and its leadership in a precarious state, with uncertainties surrounding its future direction and stability following this explosive confrontation.