AS the Nigerian police obviously seemed to have snubbed the order by Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, to arrest Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and others; thugs believed to be hired by the state government attacked an otherwise peaceful procession of workers on Tuesday in the city of Kaduna.
The protesters were marching around the NEPA Roundabout in the Kaduna metropolis when the thugs emerged and began to throw stones and other objects at them. The quick intervention of the police who used tear gas to disperse the thugs however soon restored normalcy.
Before continuing with the procession, Comrade Wabba, while addressing protesters state that information available to the leadership of Congress indicate that a hired thug who is a car dealer operating around Hanyan Banki, Kawo, in Kaduna was contracted by the state government to use violence to disperse the protesters.
Comrade Wabba said some of the thugs who were overwhelmed by workers and questioned confirmed that they were contracted by the government to infiltrate the protesters and disrupt the procession.
Wabba said in spite of the attacks, the NLC is determined to fight on with the weapon of peaceful mass protests, and that no amount of attack or intimidation will make labour to compromise or retreat.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai Tuesday morning declared Comrade Wabba and other officials of Congress wanted in a tweet where he accused them of economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure. He said the violated the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
“Ayuba Wabba & others of @NLCHeadquarters declared wanted for economic sabotage & attacks on public infrastructure under Miscellaneous Offences Act. Anyone that knows where he is hiding should send a message to @MOJKaduna KDSG. There will be a handsome reward!” El-Rufai stated in the tweet.
Before declaring Wabba and others wanted on Tuesday morning, the state government had in a statement on Monday evening accused the NLC of violating a litany of laws.
In the statement signed by Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser on Media and Communication to Governor el-Rufai, the government pointed out that the government will not be deterred from pursuing the policy of mass sack as the conditions which compelled its decision to right-size its work force have not been altered by what it called “the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC’s) campaign of economic and social sabotage.”
Mr Adekeye asserted that the governor’s resolve to pursue the mass retrenchment “is only reinforced by what he called desperate actions undertaken by the NLC to unlawfully trespass on government facilities. He said “despite these actions, the state government has guaranteed access to the State Secretariat and other government offices.”
According to Adekeye, the government intends to continue running its operations in service to the people, despite the futile efforts of the NLC to impede it. “Accordingly, all officers from GL 14 upwards are expected at their duty posts as usual,” Adekeye said, noting further that NLC also shut healthcare access for several citizens, in addition to shutting down electricity.
“General hospitals in Kawo, Tudun-Wada, Kafanchan, Giwa, Rigasa, Kakuri and Sabon Tasha were illegally locked. They also shut rural hospitals and primary health centre in Kwoi, Turunku and other locations across the state…
“The government shares the pain of the people of Kaduna State amidst the avalanche of unlawful conduct by the NLC and appeals to all residents to remain peaceful and vigilant,” Adekeye said, and warned that “government is documenting all these violations of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and the Trade Union Act.”
