Police seal stadium, bar factional NLC in Lagos

The factional arm of the Nigerian Labour Congress was barred by the Lagos State Police Command from observing its workers day celebration at the National Stadium in Surulere.As a result, the faction, led by Joseph Ajaero of the National Union of Electricity Employees, held its May day on the access road leading to the National Stadium thereby disrupting free flow of traffic in the area.With placards, carrying different messages, like ‘President Buhari, we demand change from power, poverty to power, prosperity, electrify Nigeria'; ‘Protect our enamel ware industries'; ‘Reduce import duty to five per cent for cold roll steel coil and sheet'; ‘Stop fuel importation'; and ‘Save our jobs’ among others,the group made up of 21 affiliate unions, had their match past round the Western Avenue road.Our correspondent learnt that the congress had made prior arrangement with the Lagos State Government and had written to the Lagos State Police for their support in providing adequate security for the workers.Speaking with our correspondent, the General Secretary, National Union of Railway Workers, Segun Esan, expressed disappointment that the government officials, which were invited to grace the event, did not honour the invitation but rather barred them from entering the stadium.He said, “We invited the Lagos Governor-elect, Akinwunmi Ambode, the President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Joe Ikenya, but we are very surprised that this place is being sealed off.“It is so unfortunate because Lagos State Council of our congress wrote the police command and the State Security Service telling them that we are gathering here. We are not armed robbers and we are not law breakers, we are Nigerian workers representatives.“The police band that we contracted to play for us is not here. We are not going to see it as a direct impact from the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase. We just want to believe that some people are somewhere taking advantage of the situation by using the police as an instrument of harassment but we know that when we get to the bridge, we will cross it.”The factional President, Joseph Ajaero, in his address, condemned the siege laid by the armed mobile police to the peaceful gathering of the workers.He said, “We warn the IG to learn from the misadventure of his predecessors and ensure that he operates within the ambit of the law. We have a fundamental right to peaceful assembly and information. The IG should know that no one can intimidate us not to exercise our fundamental rights.”