The Nigerian Army on Monday explained the presence of soldiers at the venue of the negotiation between the federal government and Nigeria’s organised labour over the ongoing nationwide strike press for new minimum wage for workers.
Earlier on Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), one of Nigeria’s two major labour unions leading the new minimum wage agitation, accused the Nigerian army of surrounding its meeting venue with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The NLC, in a series of tweets via its official X handle on Monday, raised the alarm, warning that any attempt to intimidate or provoke its leaders at the negotiation table would be resisted and that the strike would further be prolonged.
“Any attempt to intimidate, provoke or blackmail our leaders at the negotiation table would worsen the issue and further prolong our action indefinitely. Our leaders are acting in accordance with directives of our organs. Viva! Organised Labour, Viva! Working People Of Nigeria!,” another tweet reads.
Reacting to the NLC allegation, the Nigerian Army Headquarters described it as “misleading and deliberate falsehood,” and urged the public to disregard it.
In a tweet via its official X handle, the Army headquarters said the military personnel are escorts of Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu.
“Kindly note that the NSA Mr Ribadu, who is also attending the meeting, arrived at the meeting venue with his retinue of statutorily approved military escorts. Once the meeting is over, the escorts will lead the NSA from the venue.
“Kindly disregard the deliberate and misleading falsehood being peddled about the presence of the escorts at the meeting,” the army said.
Backstory
The organised labour — the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) — have been at loggerheads with the Nigerian government over the failure to reach a consensus on a new minimum wage for workers in the country.
The labour leaders had given the federal government a 31 May deadline to come up with an acceptable minimum wage for workers.
The workers embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday.
An indication that the strike might soon end emerged early Monday following an agreement struck between the federal government and the labour unions.
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