The national indefinite strike that started on November 14 has been suspended, as announced by the labour unions.
A joint statement from Comrades Nuhu Toro, the Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and Emmanuel Ugbaja, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), disclosed the decision to end the strike News.ng reports.
The suspension comes after Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), intervened and people were apprehended for the November 1 brutalization of Comrade Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, in Owerri, Imo state.
In response to the upsetting event, the strike was called to get important demands from the federal government.
According to the joint statement, “a resolution was reached to suspend the ongoing nationwide strike, which began on November 14, 2023, following the emergency joint National Executive Council [NEC] meeting of the TUC and NLC today, November 15th, 2023, in which there was a thorough recheck of the offers given by the federal government Via the National Security Adviser [NSA] during its meeting with the leaders of both unions.
This postponement is meant to allow for more talks after the federal government complied with our important requests to address the horrific kidnapping and abuse of Comrade Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, and others.
These incidents happened in Owerri, Imo state, on November 1, 2023, at the hands of the Police and the thugs of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The NSA apologized on behalf of the government and said they would oversee the investigation. We have strong guarantees that everyone else involved will be tracked down and charged with a crime, he also noted that some of the offenders were already in custody.
An extensive investigation is ongoing, and as it moves further, the leadership of the labour union will be kept regularly informed.
We praise and commend all affiliates and state councils for their steadfast dedication and perseverance, which made the nationwide strike a success.
Thus, it is hereby directed that all NLC and TUC affiliates and State councils demobilize, stop escalating the indefinite strike action, and resume full operations tomorrow, Thursday, November 16, 2023.
“Once more, we express our gratitude for your support, tenacity, and resolve in making the indefinite nationwide strike a success.
“We urge you to maintain your vigilance while we wait for the remaining agreements to be fulfilled” the union declared.
