Fresh concerns are emerging over how internal disputes within labour unions are managed, following a violent confrontation at the National Union of Road Transport Workers headquarters in Garki II, Abuja, on Monday morning.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command says it intervened after receiving a distress call at about 7:00 a.m., reporting that a large group of individuals, estimated at about 300 and armed with dangerous weapons, had stormed the union’s secretariat along Sapele Street.

According to police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh, the situation escalated when the group attempted to enforce a court order without the presence of authorised court officials, triggering resistance from other union members and leading to a breakdown of order.

Authorities say the clash quickly turned violent, leaving several people injured. One victim reportedly sustained severe machete wounds to the neck and was rescued by responding officers, while others with varying injuries were taken to hospital for treatment.

Police insist their role was limited to restoring calm, dismissing claims circulating online that officers opened fire on union members as false and misleading. Officials say their intervention helped prevent further escalation and possible loss of lives.

Seven suspects, including individuals identified by the police as key actors in the incident, were arrested at the scene and have since been arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2. Law enforcement authorities say normalcy has now been restored to the area.

The incident is believed to be linked to an ongoing leadership struggle within the union, and observers say it highlights the need for clearer legal processes and stronger institutional mechanisms to handle disputes, to prevent them from degenerating into violence in public spaces.