The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has charged Tajudeen Baruwa and several others to court following their arrest over the alleged forceful takeover of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) national secretariat in Abuja.
The development comes amid the lingering leadership crisis between Baruwa and Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, over control of the influential transport union.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, dismissed viral videos alleging that police officers opened fire during the clash at the NURTW headquarters in Garki II, Abuja, describing the claims as false and misleading.
According to the police, officers were only deployed to the scene after receiving a distress call at about 7:00 a.m. on March 23, 2026, reporting that a large group of about 300 individuals armed with dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, bottles, bows, and arrows, had stormed the premises and were removing items.
The statement added that the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Isyaku Sharu, led a response team to restore order.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the group allegedly attempted to enforce a court order without the presence of court sheriffs or other authorised officials, a move that escalated into a violent confrontation when opposing NURTW members resisted.
During the clash, one victim reportedly sustained severe machete wounds to the neck and was rescued by police operatives, while others with varying degrees of injuries were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The police confirmed the arrest of seven suspects at the scene, including individuals identified as Sulaiman A. Musa, Nasiru Ibrahim, Alhaji Sadisu Musa, Dalha Suleiman, Abdullahi Garba, Saheed Fojebi, and Ibikunle T. Baruwa.
Adeh stated that the suspects have since been arraigned before Magistrate Court 1 in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, while normalcy has been restored to the area.
The incident marks another escalation in the prolonged NURTW leadership dispute, which has continued to generate tension and legal battles across the country.