Court stops NLC, TUC from planned nationwide strike over assault on Ajaero

The national industrial court has restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their affiliates from embarking on the planned nationwide strike scheduled to commence on November 14.

Benedict Kanyip, president of the court, issued the order on Friday while ruling on an ex-parte application brought by the federal government and the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).

The planned nationwide strike is a protest against the alleged brutality of Joe Ajaero, NLC president, in Imo state.

Ajaero was reportedly picked up from the Imo council secretariat of the congress in Owerri by heavily armed police officers.

However, the Imo police command said Ajaero was not arrested but was taken into protective custody to avoid being lynched by a mob.

Moving the motion ex parte at the court session, Tijani Gazali, counsel to the federal government and the AGF, asked the court to stop the planned strike.

Gazali said his plea to the court was to avert “untold hardships” that would be inflicted on “innocent law-abiding citizens and their businesses”.

Gazali submitted that Nigerians suffered hardship on Thursday when the labour unions blocked entrances to the main airports in the country.

Persuaded by the government’s arguments, the presiding judge said it was within the power of the court to intervene by way of a restraining order to ensure peace and tranquillity.

The judge invoked sections 17 and 19 of the national industrial court Act, to grant all the requests of the federal government as contained in the motion paper.

The judge directed that the restraining order be pasted on the wall of the building at the last known address of the two defendants to draw their attention to the court’s position.

He also directed that the order along with the originating and other processes be served by publication in two major national dailies.

Meanwhile, the case file has been transferred to Justice Olufunke Anuwe who is said to be handling similar labour dispute-related matters.

On November 5, the national industrial court in Owerri, capital of Imo, issued a restraining order to labour unions from embarking on strike in the state.

The Imo state government and the attorney-general of the state were the claimants in the suit marked NICN/ OW/41/2023.