Alleged Attempted Murder: NUPENG Not Using Police or Court to Settle Internal Disputes — President Tells Court

The National President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Williams Akporeha, on Wednesday told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that the union was not using the police or the court to settle internal union disputes.

Akporeha made the assertion while being cross-examined by defence counsel, Christopher Oshomegie (SAN), in the ongoing trial of 21 former leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG before Justice Yusuf Halilu, sitting in Maitama, Abuja.

The police had arraigned a former PTD National Chairman, Lucky Osesua, and 21 others on a five-count charge bordering on attempted murder, breach of peace, and assault in case number FCT/HC/CR/042/2023.

The defendants were accused of attacking Akporeha; NUPENG’s Secretary-General, Olawale Afolabi; and the new PTD National Chairman, Augustine Egbon, on November 1, 2023, allegedly in a manner likely to cause their deaths.

Other defendants included Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmimin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, Sunday Ezeocha, and seven others. All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During cross-examination, Akporeha informed the court that NUPENG comprises about 150 branches, including PTD, stressing that there was no division or rivalry within the union.

“It is not correct that one group is using the police and the court against another to settle union matters,” he stated. “I am the National President of NUPENG; I oversee everyone. NUPENG is one body and has about 150 branches. The issue of one group against another does not arise.”

Akporeha, who appeared as the second prosecution witness (PW2), explained that PTD’s executive elections were first conducted in June 2022 in Ibadan, where Osesua and Garga, among others, emerged winners. However, the National Industrial Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, nullified the election and ordered a fresh one.

He added that another election was conducted as directed, but some of the defendants approached the National Industrial Court in Abuja, which also nullified that election.

“After the first election was nullified, the court directed that another be held, which was done. However, some of them went to court again, and the second election was also nullified. Following that, NUPENG conducted another election in Ibadan, while some others held an illegal one in Abuja. The court-ordered election supervised by NUPENG was the one conducted in Ibadan,” he said.

The witness told the court that most of those who organized the illegal Abuja election failed to participate in the legitimate Ibadan election. He confirmed that the Osesua-led group later filed a suit against the executives elected in Ibadan, with him joined as a defendant.

Akporeha denied the defence’s suggestion that he went to install the Ibadan-elected chairman at the PTD national secretariat on the day he and others were attacked at the union’s liaison office, located at No. 50 Majekodunmi Street, Utako, Abuja.

He clarified that the Ibadan-elected executives had already been inaugurated and that the defendants had no authority to occupy the PTD national secretariat.

According to him, on the day of the attack, Osesua and other defendants blocked access to the premises, forcing him and his team to enter through a side gate, where they were subsequently assaulted.

He narrated how the defendants led a mob armed with petrol and other weapons to attack the hotel where he and others were lodged, destroying property in the process.

“I was on the phone with Egbon when I heard his room door being broken. I saw when he was dragged from the fourth floor and beaten mercilessly,” Akporeha recounted, adding that he was rescued by the then acting Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Utako Division, who arrested the defendants.

After completing the cross-examination, Justice Halilu adjourned the matter until November 10 for continuation of hearing.