Labour unions suspend planned protest in Rivers state over police presence
The unions argued that the police presence was a breach of workers' rights and prevented them from carrying out their legitimate duties.
Labour unions suspend planned protest in Rivers state over police presence
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State have suspended their planned protest scheduled for Monday.
The decision comes after reports emerged of plans by some individuals to incite violence under the guise of being labour members. The labour unions accused these individuals of trying to hijack their protest and create chaos.
The NLC Chairman, Alex Agwanwor, and his TUC counterpart, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, urged the police to apprehend anyone who attempts to protest in their name on Monday.
They advised members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to wait for further directives from the labour centres.
READ ALSO: Organised Labour or citizens’ rage?, by Zainab Suleiman Okino
The labour unions had previously asked the police to vacate the local government secretariats in the state, which they had taken over.
The unions argued that the police presence was a breach of workers’ rights and prevented them from carrying out their legitimate duties.
The NLC boss in the state acknowledged the police efforts to maintain peace but stated that denying workers access to their offices was unacceptable.
He urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to instruct the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to grant workers access to their offices.
The labour groups warned that if their appeal was ignored, they would mobilize their members to reclaim their offices. The suspension of the protest comes as a temporary reprieve, but the tensions between the labour unions and the police remain high.