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The Edo state chairman of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade William Uwumarogie, has been hospitalised following an alleged assault during his arrest by military personnel and suspected thugs in Benin City, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said.
The Congress disclosed that Uwumarogie and other union members arrested during a night raid on Thursday had been released, but expressed concerns over the chairman’s condition.
In a statement issued Friday, the NLC Acting General Secretary, Comrade Benson Upah, said the incident occurred at the headquarters of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) on Akpakpava Road, Benin City, amid the on-going industrial action by electricity workers.
The labour body condemned the arrests, alleging that the union officials were brutalised during the operation while participating in the industrial action over working conditions and employment terms.
It accused the state government of adopting a hostile approach towards organised labour and called for an end to the use of force in resolving industrial disputes.
“The incident occurred shortly after representatives of the state government met with labour leaders and the federal government in Abuja to discuss outstanding industrial relations issues.
“The state government had requested more time to resolve the disputes, describing the alleged raid on union members as contradictory to its appeal for dialogue,” the statement read in part.
The Congress urged the federal government to take note of the development, alleging that the state’s request for more time was not made in good faith.
It also accused the government of continuing to occupy the NLC secretariat, which it said had attracted the attention of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The NLC demanded an apology from the state government, urging an end to the use of violence in handling industrial relations matters.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Power, Paul Usenbo, expressed concerns over the impact of the blackout occasioned by the electricity workers’ strike, noting that the government was intensifying its intervention efforts for dialogue between the union and BEDC management.
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