..AGF: respect court order.

Organised Labour yesterday declared the commencement of a nationwide strike from midnight yesterday.

This is despite Friday’s interim injunction by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) restraining the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their affiliates from embarking on the strike.

The court’s president, Justice Benedict Kanyip, granted the order while ruling on an ex-parte application brought by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on behalf of the Federal Government and argued by Tijani Gazali (SAN), Acting Director (Civil Appeals), Federal Ministry of Justice.

The two labour centres directed workers to stay off work from today.

But the presidency and AGF Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) reminded Labour that the restraining order was still in force.

Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy Bayo Onanuga said in a statement: “We notice with dismay the decision by the NLC and the TUC to call out workers to commence a strike action from midnight, despite a restraining order issued last week by Justice Kanyip of the National Industrial Court.

“This decision by the NLC and TUC other than being an ego-tripping move is clearly unwarranted. It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.

“We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decide to punish a whole country of over 200 million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to an assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.

“While the Federal Government does not condone any form of violence and assault on any citizen of Nigeria regardless of his or her social and economic status, it is on record that the Inspector General of Police has ordered an investigation into what happened to Mr. Ajaero while the Commissioner of Police in Imo State under whose watch the incident happened has been transferred out of the state.

“Calling out workers on a national strike over a personal issue of a labour leader despite a clear court order against any industrial action amounts to an abuse of privilege.

“Power at any level should never be used to settle personal scores. Rather, it should be used to promote collective progress and advance national interest.

“Our national economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.

“This flagrant disobedience to court order and lack of respect for the judiciary should not be what the organised Labour would champion.

“The labour movement has always been a champion of the rule of law and respect for the judiciary. It is a sad irony that the current labour leaders have shown disdain and utter disregard for court orders.

“We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible.

“What the strike notice issued Monday night after official hours suggests is it’s designed for a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and cause civil disturbance in our country. This is unacceptable.”

Fagbemi, in a statement by his Special Assistant Communication & Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, said embarking on industrial action despite a court order against strike, would be contemptuous.

The statement reads: “We wish to remind the NLC and the TUC that there is a subsisting court order stopping the unions and their affiliates from embarking on the strike.

“The interim order was granted on November 10 by Justice Kanyip.

“The unions have been served the court order and, therefore, must surrender themselves to the authority of the court which is already seized with the facts of the case.

“Any action taken contrary to the order will be tantamount to contempt of court.

“We use this medium to urge the unions to respect the court order and adhere to the principle of the rule of law. There is no need to resort to self-help.

“We urge workers to report for duties and not to entertain any fear as their safety is guaranteed and will be protected within the ambit of the law.”

The strike is over the beating of NLC President Ajaero in Owerri, the Imo State capital, last week.

He was not seen in public for one week. When he emerged, he claimed that the police arrested and handed him over to hoodlums.

The redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in Imo was one of Labour’s demands.

After a joint National Executive Council meeting yesterday, TUC President Festus Osifo said all affiliates of the two labour centres had been mobilised to ensure the success of the strike.

According to him, the strike would remain until “governments at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”

Osifo said: “We demanded that the Area Commander that led the Police to carry out the brutalisation should be relieved of his duties and prosecuted.

“We asked also that Governor Hope Uzodimma’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri, who everyone knew led the touts should also be arrested and prosecuted. Our list of demands is in the public domain.

“We gave an ultimatum that initially expired Wednesday last week. But on the eve of that expiration, we had a joint session of the NLC and the TUC.

“We looked at the time we gave and felt as responsible pan – Nigeria organisations, that we should give an additional one week to see if the government will be responsive.

“And in order to further draw the attention of the government we had the picketing session last week Thursday but instead of the government to come out strongly to condemn this criminality, to speak and stand on the side of justice, some people in government were rather running their mouth and making all kinds of statements.

“So the two labour centres have resolved to stand firmly by the decision of the joint NEC meeting that was held last Tuesday that effective from midnight on the 14th of November, we shall declare a nationwide strike.

“So effective midnight today, a nationwide strike is going to commence.

“All affiliates of TUC and NLC, all state councils of the two labour centres have been mobilised adequately.

“And this is going to be indefinite until government at all levels wake up to their responsibility. This is the decision of the joint NEC of NLC and TUC and we are to carry it out to the latter.”

Some of Labour’s demands are the redeployment and investigation of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command and the sacking of the Area Commander and all other officers and men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalisation and humiliation of Ajaero and other workers.

Labour also demanded the arrest and prosecution of Mr Chinasa, who allegedly supervised the terror on workers and “bestial brutality” meted out to Ajaero.

Benbruce In a tweet via his X handle @benmurraybruce, he said: “A nationwide strike now because of an isolated incident in just one state that is already being addressed is not in Nigeria’s interest.

“It may further a personal interest, but it will harm the national interest. Power must not be used to settle scores.

“Instead, it must be used to promote the shores of our economic and democratic progress. I call on the NLC to be rational and put the national interest and let peace reign.”