Labour unions want IGP to withdraw police from council secretariats in Rivers

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State have asked the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order police operatives to vacate local government council secretariats in the state immediately.

The unions stated this in Port Harcourt on Friday after an emergency joint state administrative council meeting, Punch newspaper reported.

The commissioner of police in Rivers State had ordered operatives to take over the 23 local government council secretariats in the state after violent clashes between supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and those of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike which resulted in the death of two persons, including a police officer.

Supporters of Governor Fubara had stormed council secretariats in the state and demanded council officials vacate office following the expiration of their three-year tenure.

However, the former elected officials, particularly chairpersons of the council, who are loyal to Mr Wike, now FCT minister, had refused to vacate office, a development that triggered violence, prompting the police intervention to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

The police, which had since Wednesday, taken over the council secretariats, said they would not withdraw their operatives until the Court of Appeal delivers judgment on the matter.

The Chairperson of NLC in the state, Alex Agwanwor and that of TUC, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, in a joint statement after their meeting on Friday, said workers have been denied access to the council for days now, causing loss of man-hours.

The unions said they are in support of the four-day ultimatum issued by the Rivers State President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, Clifford Paul, calling on the police to vacate the councils or face protest.

“The councils-in-session commend the men and officers of the Nigeria Police force on its pro-activeness in maintaining law and order in the heat of recent political upheavals.

“However, the councils-in-session frowns seriously at the sealing of the 23 Local Government Councils Secretariat by men and officers of the Nigeria Police force for the reason of maintaining law and order, thereby locking out our members from performing their statutory duty.

“Given the actions of the Nigeria Policemen, the quantum of man-hour loss since the occupation of the security agencies across the 23 Local Government Councils is irrecoverable, and the attendant consequences of putting people off their job with no alternative means of engagement in the society are far too weighty to contend with in the instant case.

“Consequently, the councils of both NLC and TUC call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately direct the Commissioner of Police Rivers State Command to allow legitimate workers of the various Local Government Councils to access their offices,” the unions said.

The unions in the state described as “self-seeking” the call for the declaration of state of emergency in the state by Tony Okocha, the chairperson of the caretaker committee of All Progressives Congress in the state.

“The councils-in-session unanimously condemn in strong terms the purported call for a State of Emergency in Rivers State by some supposed political leaders of the State which in all ramifications do not wish Rivers State People well. While we appreciate people’s right to self-opinion, it is also important not to allow self-centeredness to override our sense of reasoning.

“The entire workers of Rivers State are hereby put on red alert of possible actions to protect and defend the interest of Rivers State workers,” the unions said.