. Beat up editor, security officers
An unruly group, suspected to be labour officials on Friday, October 7, 2016, raided the Independent Newspapers Ogba, Lagos office. The newspaper management is said to be owing the workers backlog of unpaid salaries. Besides, it has refused to pay many workers it sacked and those who resigned their appointment.
Independent newspaper reports that the group belongs to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its allied Joint Action Front (JAF) and Industrial Global Union.
According to the newspaper, the group stormed the corporate headquarters of the Independent Newspapers Limited, publishers of Independent titles, and held the workers hostage.
The rampaging labour men, numbering over a hundred, pulled down the huge gate of the company to gain entrance after which they beat up the security officials for attempting to stop them from coming inside the premises.
Independent Sport Editor, Mr. Peter Edema, who ran into the mob was seized and thoroughly beaten together with the three security personnel who had been overpowered by the crowd.
Immediately the gate was pulled down and the mob trooped into the premises, some of them went in different directions vandalising the company’s property. Some went into the press where some items were destroyed, some others went after the power generator house while another group entered the main block, vandalised the reception and ordered workers out of the offices.
The rampaging crowd, who chanted war songs, charged at everyone on sight, just as they insisted they must see the company’s chief executive who was not available at the time.
According to them, they had come because they heard that some of their members working in the company were being owed salaries. No such report had been made by the staff to management before the company was invaded by the mob.
At least two former workers of the company, Kayode Ogunlade and Emmanuel Nwachukwu, were seen with the rowdy group during the invasion that lasted for close to two hours.
Our correspondents report that the build-up to the crisis began at about 9.30am on Friday, October 7, 2016; when the thugs, wearing uniforms of the labour arrived the premises of the media outfit singing solidarity songs and threatening fire and brimstone.
The thugs banged repeatedly at the main entrance of the company demanding to see Mr Ted Iwere, the Executive Editor/Managing Director of the company.
While the three security guards on duty were trying to appease the rioters and at the same time reach out to the administrative office for advice on how to handle the situation, the NLC thugs pulled down the main gate, leading into the premises of the media outfit, beat the hell out of Christopher Chukwudi, Adewale Olasege and Gbenga Fagbona, the three security officers on duty.
The drama did not end there as Peter Edema, Sports Editor for Independent newspaper, who came out of the newsroom, having been attracted by the noise, was also beaten to a stupor.
Two officials, Abiodun Aremu and Chief Ohabruike, accosted Edema as he came out of the office and requested to meet with the management. He asked of their mission which they revealed.
They told Edema that they wantedd to have a meeting with the view of resolving the lingering labour crisis and end slavery in the company.