Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately vacate the secretariat of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) within 48 hours.
Crisis in NURTW had deepened on Sunday, following the emergence of a caretaker committee chaired by Tajudeen Agbede. The committee also announced the dissolution of the Tajudeen Baruwa-led executive, citing tenure expiration.
Following an emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting, yesterday, NLC also asked President Bola Tinubu to clear his name over allegations that he is complicit in the crisis rocking the transport union.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, who gave the warning signal after the emergency meeting held to discuss the activities of police on Monday 28, cited the invasion of the union as reason for his call.
Ajaero said, “The Nigeria Police has had a recent history of interfering in the internal affairs of the National Union of Road transport Workers (NURTW) and indeed other Unions. The Police has usurped the powers of arbitration in industrial disputes contrary to the dictates of the statutes governing the nation’s industrial relations claim.”
He wondered why the IGP has acquiesced on the invasion of the national secretariat with a view to dethroning a legally elected leadership and installing a stooge in the Union without lawful order;
According to him, “There is a known democratically elected leadership of the NURTW led by Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa. Violence and bloodletting may be imminent in counter response to this illegal action. A national shutdown is possible given this undemocratic action in a democracy.”
He further noted that: “The need to avert further escalation has therefore become exigent. NAC-in-Session consequently demanded the immediate vacation of the illegally occupied national Secretariat of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) by the Police and thugs within 48 hours of this resolution.
