The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have instructed their members to initiate a nationwide strike from midnight today in response to the assault on NLC president, Joe Ajaero.
This directive, emerging from the National Executive Council’s resolutions, was communicated by TUC President Festus Osifo, emphasizing that the strike would persist until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”
However, the National Industrial Court (NIC) intervened on November 10, restraining the organized labour and their affiliates from engaging in any form of strike or industrial action.
President of the Court, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip, issued this restraining order following an ex-parte application by the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
Justice Kanyip invoked sections 17 and 19 of the National Industrial Court Act to issue the restraining order against the organized labour. The government and the AGF, through their legal representation, Tijani Gazali, sought court intervention to prevent the proposed strike, aiming to avoid hardships on law-abiding citizens and businesses.