Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Thursday disrupted activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The move was in response to an attack on the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State.
What began as a state-specific issue has now escalated to a national level, with the protesting unionists arriving at the venue around 8:58 a.m., effectively grounding aviation activities in one of the country’s busiest airports. The protesters aimed to halt flights to Owerri, the Imo State capital. Although security operatives prevented their entry into the airport, the demonstrators successfully blocked the entry and exit routes, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Many opted to abandon their vehicles and trek instead.
The unrest is the latest in a series of clashes between labour and the Imo State government. The unions accused the government of deploying police officers to assault the NLC chief. While the police authorities denied involvement in the assault, the government accused Ajaero of political interference. In response, organised labour declared a nationwide strike scheduled for November 14th, 2023.
Despite concerns from critics and observers about the potential negative impact on the ailing economy, the NLC and TUC remain resolute in their decision to proceed with the industrial action if the government fails to meet their demands, including the resignation of certain police officials.
“We are concerned that gathering for a peaceful protest has become criminalized for workers in Nigeria,” they lamented.
Previous strikes have yielded varied results. Recently, the unions called off a planned strike protesting rising living costs after the government presented measures to alleviate the impact of its economic reforms.
The NLC, a consortium of trade unions, had initially planned a demonstration in Owerri over issues such as non-payment of salaries and pensions for 44 months and violation of other labour rights, according to spokesperson Benson Upah. However, the state police banned the protest.
The unions reported that “police personnel” attacked Ajaero following the crackdown on the demonstration. Ajaero was subsequently taken to a police hospital and later to the Federal Medical Centre in the city for treatment, as shared by the NLC, which also released images showing Ajaero with a bruised face and neck brace.
Leader of the opposition Labour Party, Peter Obi, condemned the attack, highlighting that it “demonstrates the extent of lawlessness, impunity, criminality, and unruliness that have plagued our beloved country.”
