Baruwa, NURTW Members Arraigned, Deny Involvement in Abuja Shooting
By Editor
The FCT Police Command has denied claims that its officers shot members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) during a clash at the union’s headquarters in Garki II, Abuja.
The command described videos circulating on social media about the incident as false and misleading.
Police said officers only intervened to restore order after receiving a distress call.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the command received a report at about 7:00 a.m. on March 23, 2026, that around 300 individuals armed with cutlasses, bottles, bows, and arrows had stormed the NURTW headquarters and were removing items.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Isyaku Sharu, led a response team to the scene. Preliminary investigations showed the group was attempting to enforce a court order without court sheriffs or other authorised officials.
The situation escalated into a physical confrontation when other NURTW members resisted, resulting in one person sustaining serious machete wounds to the neck. Others suffered varying injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Seven suspects were arrested at the scene, including Sulaiman A. Musa, Nasiru Ibrahim, Alhaji Sadisu Musa, Dalha Suleiman, Abdullahi Garba, Saheed Fojebi, and Ibikunle T. Baruwa.
The suspects have been charged at Magistrate Court 1, Wuse Zone 2, while normalcy has since been restored to the area.
Police reiterated that the videos suggesting officers opened fire were meant to mislead the public and stir unrest.
The incident follows the earlier takeover of the NURTW secretariat in Abuja by former president Baruwa after displacing Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, citing a series of court rulings.