NLC Condemns Police Siege to Premises of Human Rights Group

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has decried the presence of ficers of the Nigeria Police at the national headquarters of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Ikeja, Lagos State.
In the same vein, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has frowned at the new Public Service Rules (PSR) 2021 edition, which it said unilaterally pegged the tenure of trade union officers to two terms of two years each.

In a statement signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the labour movement alleged that truckloads of police personnel have cordoned off the premises of CDHR in Lagos.

NLC urged the police to pull out of the precincts of CDHR immediately and unconditionally.
“Our attention has been drawn to the siege laid to the national headquarters of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights at Ikeja, Lagos by the Nigeria Police.

“Reports available to us indicate that truckloads of police personnel have cordoned off the place (where a symposium on education was scheduled to hold) since the early hours of this morning.
“Given the fact that the CDHR neither invited the police nor lodged a report of a threat, we consider the police deployment an unwarranted intrusion and an attack on the right of CDHR to conduct its lawful businesses peacefully.

“Accordingly, we urge the police to pull out of the precincts of CDHR immediately and unconditionally,” it said.
NLC said that it was alarmed by a growing trend by the police to abridge the fundamental rights of citizens and organisations.
“From alleged senseless killing of protesting citizens during the protests against hunger and bad governance, the police raided and carted away valuables from the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress on Wednesday night.

“That three days later they are at the premises of another civil society organisation is suggestive of a calculated dark agenda.”
NLC cautioned against starting an agenda that will be undemocratic.
Meanwhile, TUC has described the new rule limiting tenure of trade union officers to four years as a significant overreach by the government, infringing on the rights of trade unions to self-governance and autonomy.

A statement by the TUC President, Festus Osifo, said that the new Public Service rule was introduced through a circular from the Head of Service of the Federation, with Reference No. HCSF/PS/SPSO/268/13/2/38, dated August 1, 2023 directly contradicts the existing provisions of the Labour Act.

He said that the imposition of a two-year term is disruptive and undermines the autonomy of trade unions to manage their internal affairs as guaranteed by their constitution.

“The new rule mandates that trade unions introduce a tenure limit of no more than two terms, with each term restricted to two years. This makes the maximum tenure for any Trade Union officer four years throughout their service life.

“This newly introduced PSR Rule 020612 directly contradicts the existing provisions of the Labour Act and many Trade Union constitutions, which typically provide for a four-year tenure per term,” he said.