18th November 2024
By Idris Buba
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to without delay obey court judgments that affirmed the leadership of Tajudeen Baruwa as the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW and reinstate him.
In a press statement, on Monday, he appealed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to “ensure strict compliance with the judgments of the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal.”
It the statement titled, “FG Should Restore Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa As President Of NURTW Without Delay.”
Falana, Recalled the events of August 28, 2023, when “A gang of armed thugs invaded the national secretariat of the NURTW in Abuja. Tragically, one of the security personnel guarding the premises was killed during the invasion.”
In September 2023, Baruwa and 21 others, including three other national officers of the union, were detained by the police in Abuja, and were charged with alleged criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, public disturbance, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
They were arrested and detained and subsequently moved to the facility of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, popularly known as Abattoir, located in Guzape, Abuja.
The attackers, Falana noted, “seized the secretariat and orchestrated the removal of Comrade Baruwa and his executive team.”
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Baruwa and his executives were later arrested and charged with murder, but, according to Falana, “the charge of murder was withdrawn and struck out after the illegal seizure of the secretariat.”
Baruwa, redress and turned to the National Industrial Court, which, on March 11, 2024, “confirmed Comrade Baruwa and members of his Executive as the elected leaders of the NURTW.”
The lawyer and rights activist, further stated that the court victory was contested by Baruwa’s opponents at the Court of Appeal.
Falana, revealed that “On November 8, 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and confirmed the judgment of the National Industrial Court, recognising Comrade Baruwa as the President of the NURTW.”
He emphasised that the judgments are final and must be respected.
“In view of the foregoing, we call on the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police to ensure that Comrade Baruwa is restored to his office in strict compliance with the rulings,” Falana maintained.
The Senior Advocate warned that failure to uphold the rule of law in this matter could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
