The Nigeria labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, have suspended the nationwide indefinite strike embarked upon in protest against brutalisation of NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on November 1, 2023.
A source at an emergency joint National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the leaders of the two labour centres in Abuja last night, said the suspension was to pave way for more negotiations on issues that caused the strike.
The source said the strike was suspended because of the intervention of the federal government through the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA.
The National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had at an earlier meeting held at Aso Rock, personally apologized on behalf of the government for the attack and brutalisation of NLC President, Joe Ajaero.
A source at the meeting said: “He (NSA) also told us that suspects have been arrested and that detailed investigations would be conducted. We have no reason to doubt his sincerity because without his intervention, probably Comrade Ajaero would have been killed.“
He assured us that such act of violence and misconduct would no longer be tolerated. We knew that the strike is biting government very hard because today (Wednesday), was more effective than Tuesday and there were signs that tomorrow (today), would have been more effective as more unions had joined.
“So, they (government) did not want it to continue because like they said, it is worsening the already fragile economy, among others, and national security.