The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) crisis has taken a dramatic turn, with Baruwa's lawyer calling for the arrest of MC Oluomo and demanding the enforcement of court rulings recognising Baruwa as the union's president.

The lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, made the call at a press conference in Abuja, citing a string of court victories for Baruwa. According to Babaleye, Baruwa was lawfully elected and had secured judgments from the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal affirming his leadership. However, enforcement of these rulings has been delayed for over two years, prompting Baruwa to take possession of the union's national secretariat on Monday.

The lawyer alleged that despite the rulings, the Nigeria Police Force had refused to act, instead arresting Baruwa on charges of public disturbance. The charges, Babaleye argued, were baseless and insulted the intelligence of even the most casual observer. The lawyer also accused security agencies, including the Nigerian Army and the Civil Defence Corps, of supporting MC Oluomo's unlawful occupation of the secretariat.

The crisis has sparked calls for President Bola Tinubu to intervene. The lawyer urged the President to direct the Inspector-General of Police to enforce the judgments, arrest those occupying the secretariat unlawfully, and restore Baruwa to office.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take

The NURTW crisis is a stark reminder of the breakdown of the rule of law in Nigeria. The fact that security agencies are choosing which court orders to obey and which to ignore is a travesty. President Tinubu must act swiftly to restore order and ensure that the rule of law is upheld. The arbitrary arrest of Baruwa and the support of security agencies for MC Oluomo's unlawful occupation of the secretariat are a clear indication of the institutional rot that plagues our country. It is high time for the President to take decisive action to address this crisis and restore the integrity of our institutions.