By Habeeb Ibrahim
The National Industrial Court in Lagos has ordered the arrest and remand of the Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mustapha Adio Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, and his secretary, Usman Teslim, over alleged disobedience of a court order.
Justice I.J. Essien gave the order on Monday, November 2, 2026, during proceedings on the committal of the NURTW officials for contempt of an earlier judgment delivered on December 12, 2025.
The judge directed the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to arrest the two union officials on sight and keep them in Ikoyi Correctional Centre until November 16, 2026, when the matter is expected to come up again.
The case arose from a dispute over the control of three-wheel motorcycle transport operations in Lagos State involving the Three Cycles Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), NURTW and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
Justice Essien had earlier summoned Sego and five others to appear before the court on October 15 to explain why they should not be committed to prison for allegedly disobeying its judgment.
However, at Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the sixth judgment debtor, Barrister Babatunde Lawal, was unable to produce his clients in court.
The development angered the judge, who accused the lawyer of aiding his clients in continuing to disregard the court’s judgment.
When Lawal attempted to address the court, Justice Essien reportedly told him that he would only recognise him if he could produce his clients.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who appeared for Sego on behalf of fellow senior lawyer Muiz Banire, pleaded with the court to grant an adjournment to enable him to produce the two NURTW officials.
Falana also undertook to communicate the court’s decision to his clients.
However, the judge rejected the request, insisting that the respondents had repeatedly treated court judgments with disregard.
“I have heard you but I hate to refuse you. This is for the integrity, honour and sanctity of the court. If everybody disobeys court orders, then the court is finished,” Justice Essien was quoted as saying.
In the December 2025 judgment, the court had restrained the Lagos State Governor, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Transportation, NURTW, RTEAN and the Board of Trustees of the Drivers Association from interfering in three-cycle transport operations in the state.
The court held that TOAN had the sole authority to control three-cycle transport operations in Lagos State.
It also directed the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to set aside the government white paper merging the operations of NURTW and TOAN.
Justice Essien reportedly described the merger as an unlawful takeover of the powers of the Registrar of Trade Unions.
The latest order followed allegations that the affected NURTW officials had continued to disregard the court’s directives.
