Posted by The Nigeria Labour Congress, or NLC, has characterized the current strike as a protest against the nation’s growing culture of impunity and violence.
The NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, urged Nigerians to reject the myth that organized labor went on strike for a personal issue in a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja.
Upah asserts that the “private matter” story being pushed by government representatives is a diversion from the actual problems, and Nigerians should resist falling for it.
He claimed that in a popular democracy, no freedom is more important than an individual’s personal liberty, which was flagrantly and ruthlessly violated in Imo.
Through this strike action, the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria are fighting against the Nigeria Police Force’s or their supervision’s repeated acts of brutality, assault, and impunity against individuals and organizations.
“We rush to include three here, even though this government has only been in office for a short time.
We remember the police’s heinous involvement in the forcible takeover of the NURTW, RTEAN, and NUPENG offices.
The NLC Head of Media said, “Among other things, this strike is a protest against this abhorrent impunity which is fast becoming the signature of this government.”
Additionally, Upah claimed that Comrade Joe Ajaero’s arrest, beating, and torture signified a step up in the culture of intimidation and harassment. He emphasized that labor does not regret using a walkout to oppose the development.
For those who do not know, tyranny, he explained, starts when an individual loses their freedom due to the misuse of governmental power by its proxies.
“Labor union critics tend to forget that tomorrow they might become the next victims.”
“We demand that President Bola Tinubu’s government put an end to this growing culture of violence, intimidation, harassment, and terror!
“We won’t let up until we get the administration to promise to follow the established laws of the land.
“We know exactly what we want, and we don’t need government spies posing as our pals to give us their approval ratings.
He said in the statement, “We can ill-afford to ignore the clear and present danger or tendency of the gradual closing of democratic space.”