Court orders arrest, imprisonment of Lagos NURTW Chairman, Secretary over contempt

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Lagos Division, has ordered the arrest and committal to prison of the Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, and the union’s Secretary, Usman Teslim, over alleged disobedience of court orders.

Justice Isaac Essien (PhD) issued the order on Monday, November 2, 2026, following the failure of the two union officials to appear before the court to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for contempt.

The judge described their alleged actions as a brazen disregard for the authority of the court, warning that no individual or organisation should undermine the judicial process or disobey lawful court directives.

The proceedings arose from allegations that NURTW officials had continued to collect daily, weekly and security tickets from commercial tricycle operators across Lagos State, despite the court’s judgment of December 11, 2025, recognising the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) as an independent trade union.

The judgment had affirmed TOAN’s independent status, raising questions over the authority of NURTW officials to impose or collect levies from tricycle operators under the association.

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During Monday’s proceedings, Justice Essien also expressed concern over an affidavit of non-service filed by a court bailiff, Ayo Moses, who alleged that he was prevented from serving court processes on October 5, 2026, by the Chief Security Officer of the sixth judgment debtor.

The judge described the alleged obstruction of the bailiff in the performance of his official duties as a dangerous development with serious implications for the administration of justice.

Consequently, the court held that the two NURTW officials had committed contempt by failing to comply with its lawful orders and directed their arrest and detention at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.

Justice Essien specifically ordered the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other relevant law enforcement agencies to effect their arrest and hand them over to the officer in charge of the correctional facility.

The court further adjourned the matter to November 16, 2026, for a determination of whether the two officials had purged themselves of the contempt.

The latest order marks another development in the dispute over the collection of transport-related levies from commercial tricycle operators in Lagos and the recognition of TOAN as an independent trade union.