NURTW President, Baruwa, Others Detained Over Alleged Culpable Homicide
The President, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Tajudeen Baruwa and 21 others, including three other national officers of the union are currently being detained by the police in Abuja.
They were arrested and detained between Tuesday and Wednesday, and subsequently moved to the facility of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad popularly known as abattoir, located in Guzape, Abuja.
They have been charged with alleged criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, public disturbance, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh revealed that the suspects would be charged in court following the conclusion of the police investigation.
Recall that one person was killed, and several others injured, while the FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba earlier confirmed the arrest of 23 male suspects, and recovery of three riffles, following the chaos that engulfed the Garki area of the FCT on Tuesday during a violent clash between two factions of the NURTW on Sapele Crescent, off Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki II, Abuja.
To circumvent the incident now being investigated, Baruwa had on several occasions raised the alarm and sought the intervention of the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services over an alleged plot by the Agbede and MC Oluomo’s group to launch a violent attack on the secretariat but the security operatives feigned ignorance.
In a communiqué signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and the General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union had threatened it would muster all its affiliates for a showdown in support of what it said is the legally elected NURTW leadership.
The NLC affirmed the legality of the Baruwa-led NURTW leadership, and warned that moves to upturn governance of the transport union could lead to breakdown of law and order.
It also alleged that the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun did not intervene following the invasion of the NURTW national secretariat by thugs to unseat the elected leadership of the NURTW.
