FG plotting to abduct Labour leaders using soldiers, NLC alleges
By Emma Ogbuehi
Organised labour on whose auspices Nigerian workers embarked on indefinite strike on Monday have raised alarm that the Federal Government is plotting to use soldiers to intimidate, coerce and possibly attack and abduct their leaders.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and affiliate unions embarked on a nationwide indefinite strike which paralysed economic activities in the country on day one.
They are protesting over government’s inability to agree on a minimum wage of N494,000 and reversal of electricity tariff hike.
An obviously rattled federal government subsequently called for an emergency meeting of the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4.
The previous meeting of the committee was abruptly stopped on May 31 when the organized labour negotiation team left, as the government and organized private sector refused to increase their offer of N60,000.
But why preparing for Tuesday’s meeting the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), George Akume, summoned organised labour to an emergency on Monday (today) in his office.
READ ALSO: FG calls for emergency meeting with organised labour as strike cripples Nigeria
TUC President Comrade Festus Osifo, who confirmed the meeting said labour leaders comprising the NLC and TUC were heading to the SGF’s office for the meeting.
But shortly after the meeting began, labour leaders accused the government of drafting in soldiers to surround the venue.
“Soldiers have surrounded venue of the meeting between labour and government,” a labour executive, who pleaded anonymity claimed in a text message he sent to TheNiche at exactly 6.39pm.
He said he was leaving the Labour House in Abuja for a safe haven to monitor the development.
“We don’t know what the government is up to. They may resort to mass arrest. So, we have to stay safe to drive the strike going forward,” he said.
But not long after, the labour officially raised alarm that armed soldiers had cordoned off the venue of the labour leaders’ meeting with the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
They are “set to intimidate, coerce, attack and abduct labour leaders invited for negotiation by the SGF,” the Labour and Civil Society Front (LCSF) alleged in a statement signed by the head, coordinating secretariat, Olubori Obafemi.
According to the statement, “The information reaching the leadership of the Labour and Civil Society Front, LCSF, the umbrella body for the coalition between the organised labour and pro people civil society movement, now, 7pm today is that armed soldiers on the order of the Presidency have already cordoned off labour leaders at the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, SGF, venue of the meeting between the leadership of Labour and Federal Government.
“The motive of the armed military operatives for gathering around and cordoning off defenceless Labour Leaders at the negotiation meeting, to us, is very suspicious, intimidating and coercive in nature as there was no basis for military involvement in the civil negotiation between Labour Leaders and a team of federal government officials led by the Secretary to the Federal Government, SGF.
“Therefore, we the leadership of the alliance between organised Labour and Civil Society Movement by the mandate of the popular masses of Nigeria hereby demand that the armed soldiers deployed by the Federal Government to intimidate, coerce and possibly attack and abduct leaders of the NLC and TUC at the negotiation meeting convened by the SGF should immediately vacate the venue of the civil engagement between government and Labour.
“Any attempt by the intruding military operatives to continue to occupy the venue of the meeting or eventually harm Labour Leaders at the office of the SGF will mean no activist or Nigerian is expected to ever again trust the Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime, as the #EndSars Massacre by armed Soldiers in Lekki Lagos under the watch of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is still very fresh in our memories.”