JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has denied allegations that its personnel opened fire on members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers during violent clashes at the union headquarters in Garki II, Abuja, and described circulating claims as false and misleading.
In her statement on Monday, National Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, clarified that officers were only deployed to restore order after receiving an emergency call regarding a massive disturbance at the trade union secretariat.
According to the statement, the command was notified at around 7 a.m. on March 23, 2026, that a group of approximately 300 people armed with dangerous weapons had stormed the location.
“The FCT Police Command is aware of a video circulating on social media stating that personnel of the Command shot some NURTW members at their headquarters in Garki II, Abuja.
“The Command wishes to state that these are false and misleading claims aimed at stirring up public sentiment. On March 23, 2026, at approximately 7:00am, a distress call was received by the FCT Police Command reporting that approximately 300 men, armed with glasses, bottles, bows and arrows, stormed the NURTW headquarters along Sapele Road, Garki II, Abuja, and took items from the premises.
“In a swift response, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Isyaku Sharu, led a response team to the scene. Upon arrival, initial investigations revealed that the suspects were attempting to enforce a court order at the scene without the presence of the court sheriff and other officials.
Also read: Middle East conflict approaching ‘point of no return’, Red Cross warns
“This action turned into a physical fight when other NURTW members tried to fight back. As a result, one victim suffered serious machete wounds to the neck. He was rescued by the National Police team, while several other people who suffered injuries of varying degrees were rushed to the nearest hospital for medical treatment,” he said.
Adeh revealed that seven suspects were arrested at the scene, including Ibikunle T. Baruwa, along with Sulaiman A. Musa, Nasiru Ibrahim, Alhaji Sadisu Musa, Dalha Suleiman, Abdullahi Garba, and Saheed Fojebi.
He added that the suspects have been arraigned at Magistrate Court 1, Wuse Zone 2, while calm has been restored in the area.
The following suspects were arrested at the scene: 1. SULAIMAN A MUSA 2. NASIRU IBRAHIM 3. ALHAJI SADISU MUSA 4. DALHA SULEIMAN 5. ABDULLAHI GARBA 6. SAHEED FOJEBI 7. IBIKUNLE T. BARUWA. They have been arraigned at Magistrate Court 1, Wuse Zone 2. Meanwhile normalcy has been restored in the area, He said.
The incident comes amid an ongoing leadership dispute within the NURTW, following reports that Baruwa had taken control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja after sacking Musiliu Akinsanya, citing a series of court rulings.
