Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has joined hands with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to condemn the recent actions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Egbetokun, who allegedly ordered his men to invade their secretariat.
The NURTW, which expressed deep concern over the invasion of its national secretariat, however, called it a threat to democracy and industrial harmony in Nigeria.
Earlier yesterday, a concerning series of events unfolded as a large contingent of policemen, allegedly stormed the NURTW National Headquarters in Abuja.
The purpose, according to NURTW, was to undermine the democratically elected leadership of the Union led by Comrade Baruwa and replace it with a puppet leadership from Lagos State.
The NURTW emphasised that the government’s interference in the affairs of a Trade Union violated democratic principles and legal processes, setting a worrying precedent.
This move, they claimed, not only contradicted the constitutionally established methods for addressing industrial disputes but also portrayed the Nigeria Police Force as undermining the very laws it is meant to uphold.
The Union questioned the legitimacy of IGP’s authority to intervene in trade union matters and urged the government to uphold democratic values.
The NURTW also called for the immediate withdrawal of police operatives and associated individuals from their National Secretariat, asserting that the Union was not a bargaining chip to be handed over as compensation.
