Ogun NURTW boss, others arrested over Saula’s murder

Olalekan Olabulo, Lagos - 18.01.2008

The gruesome murder of the Lagos State chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Saka Saula, in his Iyana Ipaja home last week has been linked to the crisis rocking the Ogun State branch of the union as its chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, has been arrested by the police in Lagos State.

Alhaji Baruwa, who also served as the Southwest zonal vice chairman of the union, was arrested last Friday by the police following the arrest and interrogation of one of his aides known as "omo ijoba" by the investigating team.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Ogun State NURTW boss was being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti, Lagos and efforts to secure his bail had not been approved by the police.

The Ogun State NURTW chairman was reportedly arrested a few days to his departure to China where he was going on vacation.

Alhaji Baruwa and the late Saula reportedly had a long standing differences over union issues in Lagos State before the former relocated to Ogun State where he became a branch chairman and subsequently the state chairman of the NURTW.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the differences between Saula and Baruwa got to its peak a few months ago when a faction of the union in Ogun State led by one Akeem, popularly known as "Iyeru Akeem” attempted to take over the leadership of the union from Baruwa.