The Jigawa state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has defied the state’s police commissioner’s order not to march on the streets during the nationwide protest scheduled to take place all over the country.
The labour union ignored the police commissioner’s order, which was released in the early hours of today (Tuesday), urging the protesters (workers) to march on the street but limiting the protest within their secretariat situated along Ibrahim Aliyu bypass on the outskirts of the capital city of the state.
Under the chairmanship of Comrade Sunusi Alhassan Maigari, the labour union converged at the central Eid ground, where they marched for about two kilometres and terminated at the state NLC secretariat.
Addressing the crowd, the Jigawa state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Sunusi Alhassan Maigari, expressed dismay over the delay by the state government in wage awards to workers in the state.
He told the gathering that “Jigawa NLC is still on its decision taken during its executive council meeting that the N10,000 per month for three months for workers is not acceptable.
He also called on the state government to ensure the full implementation of all agreements reached during negotiations, specifically emphasising that the N10,000 should be paid for six months, not three.
Comrade Maigari added, “The NLC Jigawa State Council wishes to join the entire workers and masses of Nigeria to show displeasure with the state of affairs of our dear country Nigeria and draw the attention of the government to honour all agreements with the organised labour earlier reached.”
“The government should fix our refineries, stop the Naira devaluation, end hunger and poverty, reject IMF/World Bank policies, support local industries, end insecurity, create jobs, and promote economic prosperity.”
The police commissioner, Mr. Ahmed T. Abdullahi, earlier ordered the organised labour union to limit its protests within the NLC secretariat and not march in the streets of the city.
Mr. Ahmed T. Abdullahi’s order was contained in a statement issued, signed, and made available to the online Tribune in Dutse by the command public relations officer (PPRO), DSP Lawal Shi’isu Adam, in the early hours of today (Tuesday).
According to the statement, “the CP pleaded with the NLC leaders to consider the interest of the state and the peaceful atmosphere enjoyed by the people across the state not to be on the streets.”
The statement further stated that “the CP warned them not to be on the street but rather that they should converge in their secretariat, address the press, express their grievances, and disperse to their various destinations.”
The CP threatened that any breach of the peace encountered during the so-called nationwide peaceful demonstration and the leadership of the NLC would be held responsible.
“The Command will not think twice about stopping any person or group that may purposefully hide behind these nonviolent protests to undermine law and order in the state as it works in tandem with sister security agencies. Also, it will use all of its legal authority to make sure that no one’s rights are infringed, so the demonstrators are cautioned to make sure that all processions are carried out within the bounds of the law.”.
“Any attempt by criminal elements or groups of criminals to take advantage of these processions will be met with every humane response within the bounds of the law.”.
Findings by the Online Tribune in the state revealed that the police commissioner summoned a meeting with the officials of organised labour in the state on Monday.
Gathered by the Online Tribune in the state indicated that the meeting lasted into the night hours which agreement was not reached on the conditions by the police to NLC, a situation forced to move the meeting to the office of the governor at the government house with the governor Malam Umar Namadi in attendance.
The police command maintained its ground of barring the protesters under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from going around the city in fear of breaking law and order, in which the NLC defied the police commissioner’s order, marched on the street, and terminated at the NLC secretariat where the chairman addressed the gathering.
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