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The leadership of the organised labour has suspended the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike it embarked on on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
The national executive council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced the suspension after a meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on the evening of Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
The meeting, which commenced a few minutes past 7 pm, lasted close to an hour.
Meanwhile, the National Deputy Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, told ThePunch that the strike has been suspended after the intervention of Ribadu.
“The NEC of the NLC and the TUC have suspended the strike. We did this based on our trust for the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who gave us his words,” Etim said.
Similarly, the General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employee (AUPCTRE), Comrade Sikiru Waheed, also confirmed the development to journalists.
“Arising from the just-concluded joint NEC session of NLC and TUC to give consideration to the plea of Federal Government at a meeting held today at the office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the meeting resolved that the ongoing national strike is hereby suspended.
“The labour movement appreciates you all for your commitments towards the success of the industrial action. You are hereby directed to resume your official functions from tomorrow Thursday 16th November, 2023. Thank you,” Waheed revealed.
The organised labour resorted to nationwide industrial action to force the federal government to take firm action regarding an incident in Imo State where the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, was assaulted.
Ajaero, alongside other labour leaders, had stormed Owerri, the Imo State capital, on November 1 to mobilise workers for a rally in protest against the state government over the alleged violation of workers' rights in the state.
However, the NLC president was whisked away from the scene of the protest by security operatives, who allegedly handed him over to thugs who later assaulted him.
Though police insisted that Ajaero was taken into protective custody to save him from a mob attack, the labour leadership insisted that the attack was perpetrated by the Imo State police in cahoot with Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Angered by the turn of events, the labour movement made several demands to the Federal Government, including a nationwide strike and the sack of the Area Commander who allegedly led the attack against Ajaero from the police force.
Labour fired warning shots at the government last week, picketing the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, leading to blockage of access to the airport and flight disruption.
Both the NLC and TUC made good their threat on Tuesday by embarking on a nationwide strike that crippled commercial activities in the country.
The NSA later appealed to the labour leadership to sheathe their swords, disclosing that two suspects in connection with the attack in Imo have been arrested.