Osun NURTW Crisis: Oyewale Takes Office, Declares Peace as Govt, Police Maintain Stance

Osun NURTW Crisis: Oyewale Takes Office, Declares Peace as Govt, Police Maintain Stance

The newly inaugurated Caretaker Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) , Osun State Council, Alhaji Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Ashiri Eniba, has officially assumed office and assured residents that peace has returned to motor parks across the state, announcing the resumption of union activities following the resolution of its leadership crisis. The state council had been embroiled in a leadership dispute between the Oyewale faction and the faction led by Nurudeen Wakili, popularly known as Alowonle. The crisis resulted in protests, violence, disruption of commercial activities and the suspension of union operations in motor parks by local government chairmen across the state.

The crisis escalated on July 20, 2026, when members of the Oyewale faction staged a protest in Osogbo, alleging that the dominant faction prevented their vehicles from accessing a motor park. The protest degenerated into violent clashes, with gunshots causing panic among residents, and three security operatives sustained gunshot injuries during the confrontation. The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), comprising chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, subsequently announced the suspension of public transport union activities in motor parks across the state and appointed Oyewale as chairman of the NURTW caretaker committee. He was later inaugurated by the national leadership of the union at its headquarters in Garki, Abuja, despite the Osun State Government‘s opposition to the move.

Speaking after assuming office on Saturday, Oyewale said the newly constituted state executive members were recently invited to Abuja, where they were inaugurated to oversee the affairs of the Osun State Council. He appealed to residents not to associate members of the union with violence, describing commercial drivers as law-abiding citizens committed to their livelihoods. Oyewale also urged the police to conclude investigations into the killings of some union members during the crisis and called on members who had stayed away to return to the union. According to him, leadership changes are normal in every organisation, which is why they were invited to Abuja for their inauguration to officially take charge of the affairs of the Osun State Council. He assured the people of Osun State that commercial drivers are not hoodlums but responsible family men, expressing hope that the police would complete their investigations into the killings recorded during the crisis and ensure justice is served.

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Oyewale further stated that their doors remain open to every member because they are one family, appealing to those who have stayed away to return to the union. He also urged the Osun State Government to work with them, stressing that they are ready to cooperate with all stakeholders because they are an independent union. He assured residents that peace has returned to motor parks and all issues have been resolved, commending the Nigeria Police Force for its role in restoring peace and encouraging officers to remain committed to maintaining security. He added that commercial activities would fully resume across garages on Monday.

Also speaking, the union’s Interim Secretary and Group 2 Chairman for Ife Federal Constituency, Ayinde Mutiu, said normal activities had resumed across motor parks following the resolution of the leadership dispute. He appealed to members to embrace peace and avoid actions capable of disrupting public order, stressing that the NURTW remains one united family despite the recent challenges.

The national leadership of the NURTW, led by President Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, has backed the caretaker committee, insisting that no state governor has the legal authority to suspend the union’s activities. Represented by Deputy National President Aliyu Issa Ore, MC Oluomo argued that the NURTW is a statutory body established by law and operates independently of state governments, pointing out that the union had successfully challenged similar actions by state governments in court in the past. Ore explained that the caretaker committee was constituted to provide leadership for the union in Osun ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, citing the union’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the transportation of election materials.

However, the Osun State Government has maintained its opposition to Oyewale’s leadership. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Alimi, clarified that the government only suspended union activities in motor parks pending the restoration of peace and did not dissolve the Alowonle-led executive. The government reaffirmed that Alowonle and his executive remain the only recognised leadership of the union and directed security agencies to remove Oyewale and his supporters from motor parks across the state. The Osun State Government further argued that the move by ALGON to appoint a caretaker committee was illegal and unconstitutional, noting that Governor Ademola Adeleke did not at any point remove the NURTW leadership. The government submitted that the tenure of the Alowonle executive is yet to lapse and that attempting to impose a suspect in violent crimes as state chairman is an affront to the law.

The Osun State Police Command has also confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with the July 20 clash, with Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan disclosing that operatives recovered six expended cartridges, four vehicles, four motorcycles, military camouflage and suspected criminal charms from the suspects. Meanwhile, the Osun State APC has criticised Governor Adeleke’s directive suspending NURTW activities, describing the order as unconstitutional and beyond the governor’s powers. The party cited a Court of Appeal judgment involving the Oyo State Government and the NURTW, where the appellate court declared Governor Seyi Makinde’s 2019 suspension of the union’s activities unlawful and unconstitutional.

Osun NURTW Crisis: Oyewale Takes Office, Declares Peace as Govt, Police Maintain Stance