News
NLC mobilises for total strike
The organised labour had earlier embarked on a two-day warning strike to press home its demands.
After the warning strike, the NLC gave the government a 21-day ultimatum within which to meet its demands.
With the expiration of the ultimatum on Friday, the NLC has scheduled an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council for Tuesday at noon.
The council’s next line of action is expected to be decided at the virtual meeting.
In a notice of the meeting dated September 22, 2023, seen by Sunday PUNCH, the congress’ General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, told the Presidents, General Secretaries and Treasurers of its affiliates that “Your attendance (at the meeting) will be of utmost importance.”
Ahead of the meeting, however, state chapters of the NLC told Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that they were ready to mobilise full participation if the NEC declared a strike on Tuesday.
This is just as Sunday PUNCH learnt on Saturday evening that as part of its last-minute moves to prevent a strike, the Federal Government may meet with labour leaders again this week.
“Yes, the government delegation will meet with them maybe on Monday. The idea is to ensure that we prevent the strike. The nation cannot afford a shutdown of its economy at this time,” a government source said.
Another government source told Sunday PUNCH that the FG will continue to appeal for understanding from the labour leaders.
“The government has just increased the salaries of junior lecturers by 23.5 per cent. There is the need for an understanding,” the source said.
When contacted, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said, “I am not yet back, I am airborne now to London. No update yet.”
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Chairman of the NLC, Kolapo Olatunde, told one of our correspondents that workers in the state would participate fully if the NEC resolved to declare a strike.
Olatunde said “NLC NEC’s decision supersedes any other decision. If the decision up there in NEC is that we should go on strike, we have no option.
“We will also come down and decide the State Executive Council level, but the decision of the NEC supersedes any other decision
“If the NEC says we are going on strike, everybody will go on strike, that is the implication.”
Gombe
The situation is the same in Gombe State where the state Secretary of NLC, Ibrahim Fika, said the chapter would comply fully with the industrial action should the NEC order such.
Fika said, “We will comply 100 per cent by God’s grace. There is no doubt about that.
“It’s after the Tuesday meeting that we will know when to proceed, and whether the people will be given time to prepare but Gombe NLC is fully ready 100 per cent.”
Sokoto
A similar scenario is playing out in Sokoto State where the state chapter said it would join the strike whenever the national headquarters decides.
The state chairman, Abdullahi Jungle, confirmed this while speaking with one of our correspondents.
He said, “We are waiting for the decision of the national headquarters. Once a decision is taken on the strike, we will join.”
Plateau
Also in Plateau State, members of the NLC vowed to comply if the union decides to go strike.
The state chairman, Eugene Manji, said, “We are a democratic union. Our NEC meeting scheduled for Tuesday is going to be via Zoom. So, if the majority decides that the union is going on strike, workers in Plateau State cannot disobey the decision of NEC but will comply.”
Benue
The matter is not different in Benue State where the chairman, Terungwa Igbe, said the chapter would comply with any directive from the national secretariat.
“If it’s a national directive to go on strike, we will surely join,” he said.
Kano
Kano State is not different as the state chapter expressed its readiness to comply with any directive from the national headquarters.
The state chairman, Kabiru Inuwa, said, “The NEC may decide to go on strike and may decide not to go. But whatever decision is taken, the Kano State chapter will abide by it.
“So, we have to wait and see what will be the outcome of the meeting.”
Niger
The Niger State chapter also said it was ready to comply with any directive from the national leadership of the NLC.
The state chairman, Idrees Lafena, said, “We don’t have an option than to comply with the directive of our parent body. The Federal Government has been given enough time to rethink and retrace its steps but it is adamant. It is not finding a lasting solution and does not want to do the needful.
“The two-day warning strike which was hugely successful in Niger State and Nigeria at large was an opportunity for the Bola Tinubu administration to do serious thinking and retrace his steps. Nigerian workers can no longer bear the hardship when there is no termination point for the hardship. We don’t have an option.
“We will ensure that the Federal Government is compelled to do the right thing. Niger State will be shut down by the strike once we get the directive from our national leaders.”
Zamfara
The Zamfara State chapter of the NLC also said it was ready to embark on a strike action if the national body of the union gave a directive to that effect.
The state chairman, Sani Halliru, said, “We in Zamfara State are only waiting for the directive and I am assuring you that, as soon as we receive it, we will join the strike.
“We will shut down the state as soon as we are given the go-ahead to embark on strike action.
“I was part of the meeting and I came back on Friday. So, I see no reason why I should not join the strike if I receive a directive from the national body of our great union.”
Yobe
Workers in Yobe State have also expressed readiness to embark on strike if the national headquarters of the NLC calls for the action after its Tuesday meeting.
“We are ever ready to participate in the strike if the national body of NLC directs all states to do so.
“We will join the strike because all the issues at stake concern every worker in Nigeria, including you, journalists. We will comply with whatever decision is taken at the Tuesday meeting,” the state chairman of NLC, Mukhtar Tarbutu, told Sunday PUNCH.
Rivers
The Rivers State chairman, Alex Agwanwor, said the state chapter would comply fully with the national directive in the event of a declaration of strike.
When our correspondent asked Agwanwor if the state chapter would comply fully if a strike was declared, he simply replied, “Yes.”
Bayelsa
The Bayelsa State chapter said it would mobilise its members to participate in any strike action declared by the national leadership of the body.
The state chairman, Simon Barnabas, said, “NLC anywhere is NLC, so we will not do anything different. That’s how other state councils will be part of the event.
“The strike is not targeted at the state government but the Federal Government. What we are doing is to attract the attention of President Bola Tinubu and the need for something to be done to get us out of this untold hardship meted out to us as a result of fuel subsidy removal.
“The only thing we see that he can do now is he can revamp our refineries to functional status so that the Naira will have value. Otherwise the one-one naira they think they want to give to people will not go anywhere.”
Akwa Ibom
Akwa Ibom State chairman of the NLC, Sunny James, said there was no way the chapter would shun the strike.
“There’s going to be an official meeting to determine that but if there is going to be a strike, there is no way we will not join. Are we not the state council of NLC?” he asked.
Adamawa
The Adamawa State chairman of NLC, Emmanuel Fashe, said, “If we are not comfortable with the system, we should give support to labour leaders so that whatever that is being decided, we as Nigerians will comply and give them all the necessary support.
“You can see people suffering but when you call them out to join forces, to demonstrate and cry out to the government, they will shy away from it. This unfortunately is the Nigerian reality for you as we speak today.
“Things are hard but even for people within the community to organise themselves to come out and cry against the repressive economic policies of government is very hard. Labour leaders don’t have separate markets, we all go to the same market and it is the support of the public that we require to be successful in our agitations for a responsive system.”
Kaduna
The Kaduna NLC chairman, Ayuba Suleiman, said, “We are not outside the NLC. We shall be part of the NEC and every decision taken is binding on all state councils.”
Abia
The NLC in Abia State said its members would join the strike.
The state chairman, Pascal Nweke, said, “We are under them. If they decide to go on strike after Tuesday’s NEC meeting, the Abia State chapter will join them.”
Kebbi
The Kebbi State chairman, Murtala Usman, said, “I am sure that no state chapter of NLC will refuse to join the strike if the decision is reached by the national headquarters of the union.
“We are the ones that called for the meeting and by the time NEC briefs us on the outcome, the decision will be taken and we shall abide by it.”
Taraba
The Taraba State Chairman, Peter Jediel, said, “Yes, we are ready to join the strike but we are waiting for an official communication.
“I just returned from a meeting of the union where the issue of the strike was discussed and we are willing to comply with the directive if the national union sends us a notice of strike.
“We are expecting that notice between tomorrow (Sunday) and Monday and we will fully comply.”
Oyo
However, the Oyo State chapter said it would not pre-empt the outcome of the Tuesday meeting.
The state Chairman, Kayode Martins, said, “We have not heard from the national secretariat of the NLC so we can’t pre-empt them. Let’s see the outcome of the NEC meeting, then we will call our state meeting as well.”
Ondo
The Ondo State secretary of the NLC, Akin Sunday, said, “ I cannot say anything much about the strike because my chairman is preparing to go to Abuja for the NEC meeting. The decision of the NEC at the meeting would determine what would happen next.”
Katsina
The Katsina State Chairman of the NLC, Hussaini Hamisu, said, “We should not jump the gun. The NEC of the union is meeting on Tuesday. We would rather wait for its decision on the strike. Let us await the decision of the NEC. “
Lagos
The Chairman of the NLC in Lagos State, FunmI Sessi, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, also said the outcome of the meeting scheduled for Tuesday will determine if the congress in the state will join the strike.
“They have called us for a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, so it’s on that day that we will know our stance. Let us leave everything till that Tuesday. We will know the outcome then,” she said.
Edo
The Edo State chairman of the NLC, Odion Olaye, said he was yet to receive a directive on the matter.
“I am yet to receive any directive concerning the strike action,” he said
Delta
The Delta State chairman of the NLC, Goodluck Ofobruku, also said the council would comply with the decision of the NEC.
“Yes, but there’s a NEC meeting on Thursday where a decision will be taken,” he said. (Sunday PUNCH)
…Allays fears of abuse, says no one would be governor forever
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for financial autonomy and investment in modern security infrastructure for state police services when created, stressing the need for any legal framework for state police to take into account the need for national standards, national support, local capability and local decision-making.
Mbah made his position known during the town hall themed, “Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security,” organised by Arise News in Abuja on Thursday.
The governor emphasised that prioritising security through adequate funding for state police services and investment in technology would enable those responsible for security at the subnational level to deliver the expected outcomes.
“The importance of funding the state police system effectively cannot be overemphasised. And having a State Police Service Commission that has a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund is in order.
“Many other institutions in the states – the judiciary and the legislature – have the first-line charge. The key thing is providing enough funding to be able to sustain the state policing system,” he said.
Sharing the Enugu State experience on the importance of prioritising security, he recalled that at the inception of his administration in 2023, the state was under siege, with nightlife gone, some areas even in the state capital barricaded, Mondays gone, while many students lost an entire academic year, as they could not sit important final-year examinations due to the illegal sit-at-home orders.
“If the Enugu experience is anything to go by, we came into office recognising that we had made commitments to eradicate poverty, to grow the economy exponentially, to make Enugu State the preferred destination for business, living, and investment.
“We immediately recognised that if we didn’t address the security challenges, we could not achieve those objectives. Therefore, we had to invest hugely in technology, in building a Safe City Surveillance System with CCTV cameras that are AI-enabled, as well as having both static and mobile cameras. All these come with huge costs.
“But the human element is also important, which is essentially why we had to set up the Distress Response Squad (DRS). As a governor, you want immediate action because matters of security are measured in minutes. You must be in a position where you are able to act swiftly.
“So, you must build the capability to first nip crime in the bud. But where there has been a breach, you must have the capacity to act swiftly. And if the Enugu experience is anything to go by, that essentially is what we did that enabled us to drive down violent crime by over 90 per cent.
“Therefore, when you talk about funding, you can see that the states are already carrying quite a huge burden in terms of funding, because you are investing in technology.
“We also ensured that there is a unified communication system between the agencies. Our Command and Control Centre houses all the security agencies in the state – the police, the army, and the Department of State Services. They all have a channel of communication,” he stated.
Governor Mbah also called for a constitutional provision that guarantees state police while preserving the details for an Act of the National Assembly to allow for amendments in the future without going through the rigours of constitutional amendment.
“So, in amending the Constitution, we must, by all means, make sure that it is not verbose. There should be a provision that allows us to reform the system in future, if needed, when we have tried it,” he said.
Mbah also stressed the need to focus on operational authority for state police rather than on watering down the powers of governors, who would be in office for a maximum of eight years only.
“By the way, there is this idea that governors are likely to abuse state police and that we should, therefore, do as much as we can to water down their powers.
“Nobody is a governor forever. We are also going to one day leave that office and become regular citizens. We just want to be sure that there is enough operational authority given to the governors so that you do not give someone a performance target without providing him or her with the control needed to achieve the required outcome,” he concluded.
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has disclosed that the Federal Government increased the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers from N49,000 to N100,000 as part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of military personnel.
Musa made the disclosure during an interview with News Central on Wednesday ahead of the station’s NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.
He described the development as one of the welfare improvements introduced by the current administration for military personnel.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” the minister said.
For decades, concerns over poor salaries, inadequate accommodation, delayed benefits and rising living costs have dominated discussions on military welfare.
Musa also dismissed allegations that soldiers were being poorly fed, describing claims circulating on social media as misleading.
Referring to a viral video involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack, he alleged that the footage was deliberately manipulated to create a false impression about the quality of meals served to troops.
“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat; there was all this. But he told them to pull out those things and make it look as if those things were not there,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come as the Federal Government continues to pursue a mix of welfare reforms, increased security spending and renewed military operations aimed at improving the effectiveness of troops battling insecurity across the country.
But calls persist for greater investment in equipment, intelligence gathering and personnel welfare.
Musa maintained that Nigeria’s defence allocation remains inadequate to meet the enormous demands placed on the Armed Forces.
Responding to a question on whether the current defence budget was sufficient, he replied, “It’s not enough.”
He noted, however, that the government would continue investing in the welfare and operational capacity of the military to enable personnel to respond more effectively to the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated tougher punishment for kidnappers, calling for the introduction of the death penalty to discourage the growing wave of abductions across the country.
According to him, existing sanctions have failed to deter perpetrators.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage.If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.
Speaking on the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, Musa alleged that the kidnappers were attempting to pressure the military into releasing some of their commanders currently in custody.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, he said the abductors had resorted to using innocent children as bargaining tools.
“It’s a very sad event. Unfortunately, bad things do happen. For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” he said.
He further claimed that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the victims should security forces move closer to their hideout.
“They are now threatening that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” the minister added.
Njiko Igbo Forum, an affiliate of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has issued a stern warning ahead of the 2027 general elections, cautioning that it will be catastrophic should anything happen to Mr Peter Obi.
It could be recalled that Obi, on Wednesday, raised the alarm that his life was under threat.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, raised fears that he may not be alive in 2027 to be part of the election.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday, Rev Dr Okechukwu Christopher Obioha, Leader, Njiko Igbo Forum Nigeria, he warned that should anything happen to Obi or he was not in the ballot, the reaction and result would be very catastrophic.
Obioha said the caution was part of the decision taken during an emergency meeting held today, Thursday, in Enugu.
The Forum said, “That we have seen the viral video made by His Excellency, Mr Peter Gregory Obi, speaking on a number of issues, he expressed serious concern that his life is in danger.
“For him to have gone to the extent of saying he might not be alive before the 16th of January 2027, speaks volumes both in our polity and in the country at large.
“We have seen him in the past, spoke about the federal government trying to frustrate and targeting him not to be in the ballot.
“We have also observed over a period of time that the presidency or the federal government led by President Tinubu does not want Peter Obi to be in the ballot.”
While drawing the attention of the Presidency, Nigeria and the world to those allegations, Njiko Igbo Forum declared that “if anything happens to Mr Peter Gregory Obi or finally his name is not in the ballot for the 16th January, 2026 presidential election, the reaction and result will be very catastrophic and may adversely affect the continued unity in diversity of this country Nigeria.”
It further stated that the Igbo had been very quiet, pushed to the wall, segregated against, marked out everywhere, chased about and even tried to take their possessions.
Njiko Igbo Forum cautioned that keeping quiet does not mean the Igbo are cowards.
It said the ruling government should not forget that for any democracy to thrive, there must be a viral opposition in the polity.
“There is no reason, for what we have seen in the process or polity in trailing Peter Obi and going to an extent of chasing him through all the political parties and now wanting to kill him.
“This outcry by Mr Peter Gregory Obi, must not be taken lightly and request as a matter of urgent National importance, that an urgent investigation panel be constituted to verify Mr Peter Obi’s allegations.
“We are strongly stating again that, nothing should happen to Mr Peter Gregory Obi.
“Yes, Chief Awolowo said, before Nigeria he was of the Yoruba Nation. The same way we are saying before Peter Obi is of Nigeria, he is of the Igbo.
“Mr Peter Gregory Obi will live and become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2027,” it declared.
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