The police command in the Federal Capital Territory says the deployment of its personnel to the headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) was a proactive step to prevent violence.

Its spokeswoman, Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

“The deployment of police personnel to the NURTW secretariat is not an act of interference in the internal affairs of the union. It is a proactive step to forestall any potential violence or illegal actions that could arise from disputes within the union,” stated the police.

The command said the clarification followed concern raised by Nigeria Labour Congress president Joe Ajaero over the deployment of police officers to the union’s secretariat.

Mr Ajaero had alleged that the deployment was an attempt to dethrone a legally elected leadership of the NURTW.

The statement said the role of the police in a crisis situation is to ensure that disputes are resolved peacefully and in accordance with the law.

“If there are concerns about the legality of any actions taken, the appropriate legal channels should be pursued. The police will not fold its hands and allow the leadership feud between the two groups to degenerate into a breakdown of law and order,” the command explained. “It is the police’s constitutional responsibility to maintain law and order.”

The police stormed the NURTW headquarters in Abuja on Friday in the evening.

The development came barely two days after the NURTW president, Tajudeen Baruwa, raised the alarm over an alleged plot by individuals and groups to stage a protest at the NURTW’s secretariat in Garki 2 district of Abuja.

(NAN)