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Appeal Court stops suspension of NURTW in Oyo State

Published

2 months ago

October 5, 2025

Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde

Appeal Court stops suspension of NURTW in Oyo State

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has overturned the suspension of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, declaring the action taken by Governor Seyi Makinde in 2019 as unlawful.

Governor Makinde had, on Friday, May 31, 2019, proscribed the activities of the NURTW in the state, citing a breach of peace and announcing the immediate takeover of all motor parks by the state government.

Challenging the move, the union filed a suit at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) on Monday, July 19, 2021, seeking to nullify the governor’s order. However, the lower court dismissed the suit on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, stating it lacked merit.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, the NURTW filed an appeal on Friday, April 22, 2022, arguing that the state government lacked the legal authority to suspend the operations of a trade union registered under the Trade Union Act CAP T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The union’s counsel, Mr Femi Falana SAN, raised two issues for determination: whether the lower court’s failure/neglect to consider, resolve, and pronounce on all issues legitimately raised and canvassed by the appellant’s counsel did not occasion a miscarriage of justice on the union; and whether the executive governor of Oyo State or his agents are vested with the power to proscribe or suspend the operation of NURTW in the state, which is a trade union registered under the Trade Union Act CAP T14, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The union’s counsel argued that it is trite that a court renders a decision on every issue properly raised before it. The appellant argued that the trial court erred in law to reach its decision without considering the merit of the case in line with objections raised by the union against the counter affidavit of the state government.

While the Attorney-General of Oyo State, Mr Abiodun Aikomo, argued that the suspension of NURTW was as a result of a breakdown of law and order, the union’s counsel countered by submitting that there was no evidence of any breakdown of law and order.

Mr Falana also questioned the legal power of Governor Makinde to suspend the NURTW, as all trade unions are in the exclusive legislative list of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

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The three-man panel, in its lead judgment delivered by Justice Kenneth Ikechukwu Amadi, ruled that the Oyo State Government failed to provide evidence of any breach of peace or public order that would justify the suspension of the union’s activities.

“Nowhere in the counter affidavit filed by the respondents at the lower court did they aver that the conduct of the appellant warranted a suspension on the grounds of breach of peace, law, and order.

I therefore hold that the respondents failed to justify the suspension of the activities of the appellant based on the ground of breach of peace, law, and order in Oyo State caused by the union. I allow this appeal, set aside the suspension on the operations of NURTW in Oyo State. I also set aside the judgment of the lower court,” Justice Amadi held.

Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, concurring with the lead judgment, criticised the state government’s handling of the matter.

He emphasised that while the state has the authority to maintain law and order, it must do so within the confines of the law.

In his ruling, he held: “In the leading judgment, it has been demonstrated that the respondents did not prove the existence of any acts of violence against the appellant by merely mouthing violence in its counter affidavit without setting forth the acts of the appellant and concrete evidence to show the acts and conduct that can be categorised as violent. Now, if the appellant’s activities were violent, that is an illegal act, then such violent activities can be checked by the state government, so that law and order would be restored and maintained by the relevant security agencies, including the police, but it cannot be resolved by resort to another form of illegality by the state government going outside the lawful channel to use its whims and caprices by suspending the activities of the appellant, since the state government does not have any such powers outside the laws of the land.”

Appeal Court stops suspension of NURTW in Oyo State

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Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

Published

4 hours ago

December 7, 2025

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Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Ayuba Hashimu, has dismissed viral reports alleging that bandits attacked a mosque in the council area, killing an Imam and several worshippers.

Some online platforms had circulated claims that armed bandits stormed a mosque in Sabon Birni, murdered the Imam and congregants, and abducted others.
However, Hashimu, speaking by telephone, described the reports as entirely false.

“I don’t know any mosque that was attacked, not to talk of killing of an Imam and worshippers. The story is false,” he stated.

A member of the state legislature representing the area, Hon. Aminu Boza, also debunked the claims, insisting that no mosque attack occurred on Saturday.

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“I don’t know how they got their story, but it is not true. No mosque was attacked by bandits,” he said.

While officials denied the alleged mosque incident, a separate early morning assault on Gatawa town within the same LGA resulted in five deaths and left one person critically injured.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that six people — including two married women, two teenage girls and two young boys — were abducted by attackers suspected to be bandits.

“The bandits invaded our community around 1:30 a.m. and started shooting sporadically. Our vigilantes engaged them, but four of them paid the supreme price on the spot. Two others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital, but one later died,” the resident said.

He added that the attackers also stole livestock as they fled.
“We heard them exchanging fire with security agents, but none of the abducted persons was rescued,” he recounted.

Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid

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FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

Published

4 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

Almajiri school

FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

The Federal Government has commenced the official recovery of 157 model Almajiri schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a renewed push to overhaul Almajiri education across the country.

The move was confirmed by Nura Muhammad, spokesperson for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), during an interview in Abuja on Sunday. He described the recovery process as a crucial step toward fully revamping and institutionalising Almajiri education.

Muhammad explained that the effort follows the establishment of a legally backed national body now responsible for all Almajiri-related programmes — a structure he said was missing during earlier reform attempts.

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While commending former President Jonathan for constructing the schools, which he described as “a noble and well-intentioned stride toward modernising the system,” Muhammad noted that the previous initiative struggled due to weak policy implementation, including inadequate engagement with Alarammas, the traditional Qur’anic teachers who play a central role in the Almajiri system.

He added that the lack of a strong institutional framework — with the project operating only as an initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education — contributed to its challenges.

According to him, the Commission is now strengthened by law and guided by the newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, positioning it to deliver sustainable reforms.

Muhammad expressed confidence that harmful practices linked to the Almajiri system would be addressed, emphasising that all recovered schools would soon be fully under the Commission’s control and rehabilitated to serve their original purpose.

FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools

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Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

Published

10 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Trends Admin

Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu

The Delta State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu in Anambra State, arresting key suspects linked to the case.

Spokesperson SP Bright Edafe disclosed on Sunday that operatives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), acting on credible intelligence, apprehended 25-year-old security guard Godwin Mngumi on 6 December 2025. Mngumi allegedly murdered the retired judge, and authorities also recovered the deceased’s mobile phone from him.

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According to Edafe, Mngumi confessed to inviting a friend, Nnaji Obalum, and another accomplice — who remains at large — to the residence where the crime was committed. Obalum has since been arrested, while a manhunt continues for the third suspect.

The arrests mark a major step forward in the effort to bring all perpetrators of the high-profile murder to justice.