The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, in Lagos has ordered the arrest and committal to prison of the Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, and the union’s Secretary, Usman Teslim, over alleged contempt of court.
Justice Isaac Essien made the order after the two officials failed to appear in court to explain their alleged disobedience of an earlier judgment recognising the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria, TOAN, as an independent trade union.
The judge directed the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, and the NSCDC Commandant to ensure their arrest and transfer to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The matter was adjourned until November 16, 2026.
Meanwhile, reacting outside the court, the General Secretary of TOAN’s National Caretaker Committee, Comrade Sunny Enang, said the union’s former President, Augustine Agbo Apeh, had exhausted his maximum eight-year tenure on February 6, 2024, and therefore lacked the authority to act on behalf of the union.
Enang also accused Apeh of illegally inaugurating persons as TOAN’s Lagos State executives on October 26, despite allegedly not being members of the union.
He maintained that the authentic TOAN leadership in Lagos remains under Comrade Agbabiaka Monsuru, popularly known as Alagba.
The General Secretary called on the Registrar of Trade Unions and security agencies to intervene, while urging members to remain calm and law-abiding.
