NLC accuses police of bias in NURTW crisis
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has made allegations against the police, claiming that they have taken sides in the ongoing leadership crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
According to the NLC, democratically elected leaders of the union have been detained while the other factions have been discreetly released.
In a statement released on Friday by the Acting President of the NLC, Kabiru Minjibir, the organisation expressed concern over the violence that occurred at the national secretariat of the NURTW. The NLC also criticized the police for their handling of the situation and accused them of showing favoritism.
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The statement read, “Our investigations suggest undue favoritism by the state in enforcing peace. We are perturbed to learn that the democratically elected leaders of the union are being detained while the other parties have been discreetly released. Justice demands equal treatment in conflicts of this nature.”
“We urgently call upon police authorities to promptly release the democratically elected union leaders from detention and conduct a fair investigation into the violence. Our nation cannot afford to entertain any semblance of impunity or bias, especially at this critical juncture. Let us refrain from exacerbating an already precarious situation with actions that may be construed as partiality towards illegality.”
On the other hand, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has denied allegations of bias in their arrest of the rioting factions of the NURTW in Abuja.
According to the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, stated that the police made arrests in relation to those found in connection with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and public disturbance during the riot, without taking sides.
Adeh stated, “The police were not biased in their arrest of suspects. Arrests were made based on the charges of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and public disturbance levelled against them. They caused breakdown of law and order, and the police were deployed to restore peace, and that was when they were arrested.”