Protesting members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, invaded the state secretariat in Oyo State on Tuesday, the second day of their demonstration, beating civil officials who refused to heed the labour union’s demands to join the state’s ongoing protest.
Protesters from several ministries, including the judiciary, parastatals, and other institutions, were drawn from the workers union.
Protesters beat up civil officials in front of some labour leaders, halting activities in government buildings for several hours and locking some in their desks.
Recall that the ongoing protest by the NLC began on Monday, following their demands for payment of leave bonus, payment of gratuities to retirees who have been stagnated since the year 2021 and release of promotion letters for the Year 2021 and 2022.
The aggrieved labour members blocked the entrance to the government secretariat in the state for the second time over the failure of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde to meet and dialogue with them.
This is their first attempt to press home their demand for payment of their deductions, allowances, among other struggles, since the the inauguration of the governor in 2019.
While some protesters stormed the entrance of the state secretariat, some male members of the union were assigned to sack offices within the secretariat, chasing out civil servants to join the protest by force.
The protesters, who carried sticks sang songs and disrupted official duties which also affected vehicular movement.
He said: “I came inside Secretariat presmises to pick my belongings, in the office. All attempts to explain this to the protesters fell on deaf ears, as they launched an attack on me, for no just cause.”
“But rather than settling the issue amicably, the NLC members decided to go physical, engaging me and others with me in a fight,” he said.
It took the intervention of the the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd) who drove to the scene to stop them immediately.
Mr. Odukoya then told the protesters that it was unacceptable that protesters attack civil servants.
“Beating civil servants in the name of protest is against the law. You must desist from this act henceforth,” he warned.