The statement said, “The NLC holds the state and police accountable for their inaction and unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of the union.”
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the police to immediately release the president, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Tajudeen Baruwa, three other national officers of the union and 18 others who are currently being detained in Abuja.
They were arrested after at least one person was killed, and several others injured on Tuesday during a violent clash between two factions of the NURTW on Sapele Crescent, off Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki II, Abuja.
The police said the NURTW officials would be charged with alleged criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, public disturbance, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
Reacting to the development, NLC Acting President, Kabiru Minjibir, said in a statement on Thursday that the interference of the police in labour matters was to blame for the clash.
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The NLC, in its statement titled “The bloodshed at NURTW National Secretariat: We urged for caution but it was not heeded” called on the police to conduct a fair investigation into the incident.
“We urgently call upon the police authorities to promptly release the democratically elected union leaders from detention and conduct a fair investigation into the violence,” the statement said.
The congress said it would hold state authorities accountable for their inaction and unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of the union.