***Asks President Tinubu to speak up over the unlawful invasion of their Abuja office
***says attempt to hand over their union as a war booty will fail
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately speak up over the attack on its national secretariat on Monday by a group of thugs and hoodlums who claimed to be acting on orders from above.
They said as a democrat and Chairman of ECOWAS leading troops to Niger over the forceful takeover of government in that country, he should not allow his men under his watch forcefully overthrow the elected leadership of a Trade Union.
A group who claimed to be Park Management Committee from Lagos, Ogun and Osun were alleged to have mobilized thugs and hoodlums to attack the National Secretariat of the union located at Garki 2 Abuja where injuries were inflicted on their members while the police and operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) looked the other way.
The National President, Comrade Baruwa Tajudeen who addressed a press conference at the NUJ press Center in Abuja on Monday said the police gave the hoodlums tacit approval and backing to carry out the attack adding that when they demanded to know the reason for the invasion they were told that it was an order from above.
According to him many of their members were injured in the attack.
“The events that unfolded earlier today are deeply troubling. We were dismayed to witness a large contingent of police officers, accompanied by thugs and hoodlums, under the directive of the IGP, cordoning off and invading our National Headquarters; the National Union of Road Transport Workers, situated in Abuja.
“This alarming act was carried out with the intent to undermine the democratically elected leadership of our Union, led by Comrade Baruwa to install a puppet leadership from Lagos State.
“We must emphasize that the interference of the Government in the internal affairs of a Trade Union, as witnessed today, is a blatant violation of democratic principles.
“It does not only contradict the established legal processes for addressing industrial disputes in Nigeria, as enshrined in our Constitution but also portrays the Nigeria Police Force, under the IGP’s leadership, as a violator of the very laws it is mandated to uphold.
“The National Union of Road Transport Workers questions the source of the IGP’s authority to intervene in trade union matters, especially when neither the Nigeria Police Force nor the IGP holds the role of a legal arbitrator in industrial disputes.
“We are perplexed by the IGP’s disregard for the rule of law and the Constitution, which, if allowed to persist, will undoubtedly lead to a breakdown of law and order in our beloved nation.
“We remind all stakeholders that Nigeria remains a democracy, and it is imperative for the government to uphold democratic principles in all its dealings.
“Attempting to overthrow a democratically elected leadership within NURTW or any trade union for that matter not only contradicts international labor conventions but also undermines the very essence of democracy in Nigeria, which the government is duty-bound to protect.
He called on all the state chapters to begin mobilization across the nation to resist this attempt at taking over their Union.
“Our Union is not a war booty that can be handed over as a trophy to anyone as a compensation for whatever reasons. We urge the IGP to immediately withdraw the police operatives and associated hoodlums from our National Secretariat.
“We strongly implore the Nigeria Police Force to cease interfering in the affairs of our Union and to refrain from further actions that jeopardize the rights and privileges of Nigerian workers and citizens.
“Should these unlawful actions persist, we, as responsible stakeholders in the labor movement, may be compelled to take necessary steps to protect the rights and interests of our members and the Nigerian people as a whole.
“Nigerians must unite to condemn these actions, as they represent a dangerous slide toward despotism and a disregard for democratic values.
“We call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to immediately take steps to save our great Union from the clutches of the forces of retrogression that are bent on hijacking it.
“We may be the target today but we know that the ultimate target is a take over of the entire trade union movement.
“It is said that what we condone today may come to haunt us tomorrow.”
According to him, intimidating and harassing trade union leaders and resorting to gestapo-style invasions of trade union secretariats are not the path to achieving the government’s stated objectives. “Our nation must operate within the bounds of established rules and regulations, and government agencies must be at the forefront of upholding these principles. “Any deviation from this course undermines our nation and leads to suboptimal outcomes for all.
*Finally, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to the principles of democracy, justice, and workers’ rights.
“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians to join us in condemning these actions and safeguarding our nation’s democratic values.”
The chairman of the FCT Chapter of the Union Alhaji Ibrahim Sanda Kuje who earlier addressed a press conference alleged that some aggrieved members of the Union from Lagos State led by Alh. Tajudeen Agbede Badru and former President of the Union, Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin led a group of thugs with the support of Lagos State Chairman of Parks and Management, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) attacked the National Secretariat and injured many of our staff in the presence of security operatives deployed to prevent breakdown of law and order.
“It is worrisome to know that the Nigerian Police, Operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian Army were deployed to provide cover for these intruders who operated freely under the watch of armed security agents.
“They attacked and chased away all the National officers including the National President while the police watched them.
“We appeal to our members across the states to remain calm but be on standby.
“We hereby use this medium to call President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to intervene as a matter of urgency and necessity to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) .
“The President should also call the Nigerian police and DSS to order and stop giving unnecessary backing to the disgruntled element who are out to cause confusion.