Workers’ Strike: Our Lives Under Threat, Kogi Labour Leaders Cry Out

The leadership of the organised labour in Kogi State have alleged of threats to their lives over the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by civil servants in the state.


This was contained in a statement signed by secretaries of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Olakunle Faniyi; Trade Union Congress (TUC); Comrade Kolawole James and their Joint Public Services Negotiating Council (JPSNC) counterpart, Comrade Isah Abubakar.

The statement alleged that agents of the State Government made up of armed thugs and some overzealous security agents had been on their trail.

“The missions of these agents are either to maim or cause bodily harm on the leaders for their role in the successful strike action that has brought government business to a halt through the State,” the statement added.

It pointed out that the Government cannot be underrated when it comes to staging state violence based on the recent activities of sponsored thugs that attacked the State House of Assembly when honorable members of the House were beaten black and blue under the full glare of security agents who looked the other way.

The statement drew the attention of the State commissioner of Police and the Director, Department of State Services, “to take steps that would forestall their operatives being used as pawn in the hands of the State Government to molest innocent and law abiding citizens of the State.”

“On the fake stories trending on some national dailies, the strike called by the organised labour has recorded 100% success wondering how some national dailies would publish fake stories circulated by Government agents that the workers defied the directives of the Union to embark on strike,”‎ it noted.

The statement commended workers in the State for their 100% compliance with the strike directive as it urged them to ignore such propaganda machine of the State Government and any form of intimidation.

“We call on workers to remain prayerful, law abiding and wait for further directives from organised labour, the almighty God that has been sustaining many of our members without salaries for 21 month would still protect us through this turbulent period,” they added.