Proposed protest: Nigerian government plans sponsored attack on workers, says labour Congress

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has alleged Nigerian government of plot to launch a sponsored attack on its members during their scheduled rallies on Tuesday and Wednesday, warning that if such happened the workforce will declare a total shut down of the economy.

Penpushing reports that the workers are set to protest the cost-of-living crisis in the country caused by government policies, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira, emphasizing that they are aware of plans by state-sponsored persons to attack them.

The National President of the congress Comrade Joe Ajaero in a statement on Sunday declared that the body and Nigerians cannot be deprived of their rights, nor be intimidated by the government, pointing out that one of the emergency groups assigned to attack them was hurriedly put together by the government

‘If we are attacked there will be a total shutdown via withdrawal of services by workers. Let no one be deceived, we and other deprived Nigerians cannot easily be intimidated. One of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land’, Ajaero alleged

Penpushing further reports that the congress accused the government of failing to honour its promises to ensure policies and programmes are put in place for workers to limit the impact of the petrol subsidy removal.

‘While food prices have gone up over 200 per cent since the Bola Tinubu administration came on board, public workers’ salaries have yet to be increased despite the government setting up committees to work out an increase’.

Penpushing also reports that Ajaero emphasized that the labour congress and its affiliate unions would embark on its protest despite the alleged threat of disruption, noting that solution to the horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens

‘We would want to inform Nigerians that the State has perfected plans to attack our peaceful rallies across the country. One of the groups being primed to attack our peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF)’, he added.

‘NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land’, Ajaero stated.

‘We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens as the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger. It does not lie in the deployment of State-sponsored terror. The pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas’, he said.

Penpushing reports that it is recalled that government has appealed to the labour unions to shelve the strike, explaining that it is working hard to limit the negative impact of its policies on workers, while the police have also cautioned that they would allow peaceful protests but they would not allow such protests to disturb people who are not interested in taking part in it.

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