Tensions flared in the Federal Capital Territory as two rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers clashed in the Garki area, specifically on Sapele Crescent, off Ladoke Akintola Boulevard in Garki II.

The altercation escalated to the point where gunshots were reported, resulting in the tragic loss of one life.

This unsettling incident highlights the growing turmoil within the NURTW, a situation that experts believe necessitates immediate intervention to avert further disruptions to law and order.

The conflict appears to have erupted when supporters of NURTW President, Prof. Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, attempted to march towards the union’s national headquarters. This facility, however, is currently occupied by the Lagos Park Management Committee led by Tajudeen Badru Agbede.

An eyewitness shared insights into the confrontation, explaining, “As you may be aware, members of the Lagos Park Management Committee, led by Agbede, forcefully occupied the Secretariat a few weeks ago, displacing the president and other executives.”

“Therefore, supporters of the current president mobilized themselves in an effort to forcibly remove Agbede and his group. However, they were met by a police blockade, which resulted in a violent confrontation. Shots were fired, intensifying the gravity of the crisis.”

It’s worth noting that prior to this clash in Abuja, Baruwa had been seeking assistance from the police and the Nigeria Labour Congress to mediate the situation, but without success.

Expressing his determination to protect their mandate, Baruwa had previously stated, “We shall henceforth not hesitate to defend our mandate with the last drop of our blood.”

He accused former NURTW leaders, including Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, the former president of the union, and Agbede, the former National Vice President, of illegally occupying the National Secretariat of the union.

Furthermore, Baruwa alleged a perceived bias in favor of the Lagos Park Management Committee within the police force.

Consequently, he appealed to the Inspector General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun, and the Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, to intervene in the matter.

Baruwa emphasized that only a court of competent jurisdiction possesses the authority to invalidate their mandate.

He encouraged any aggrieved members to follow due process and seek legal remedies, cautioning that failure to do so could lead to a state of anarchy.