ALLEGEDLY acting on the order of the Enugu State governor, Sullivan Chime, armed men, soldiers, police and thugs, on Thursday morning, held hostage the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele, and other labour leaders who were in Enugu for a peaceful protest rally on the implementation of the N18,000 national minimum wage.

At gunpoint, the labour leaders said they were intimidated, harassed and ordered around at the Gold Value Hotel, Enugu, where they were detained by the gun-wielding armed men, who cordoned off the hotel premises.

Following the development, the two registered labour centres in the country — NLC and TUC — have alerted Nigerians, President Goodluck Jonathan and especially the Federal Government to a possible breakdown of law and order in Enugu State.

They have also declared an indefinite strike in Enugu State “until Chime succumbs and starts dialogue.”

Besides, the organised labour has called on President Jonathan, the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to call Governor Chime to order “to avert a replica of mass protests that have brought many governments down worldwide.”

The labour leaders were in Enugu for a rally on minimum wage.

In a short text message to Nigerian Tribune on Thursday morning by the NLC Acting General Secretary, Comrade Owei Lakemfa, the congress scribe said: “Armed soldiers and riot policemen in bulletproof vests this morning, 8th September 2011, invaded the Gold Value Hotel, Enugu, and detained NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar; TUC President, Peter Esele; Acting General Secretary NLC, Owei Lakemfa; Deputy President of NLC Kiri Mohammed; Vice-President Emma Ahjoku, Assistant Secretary, Nuhu Toro and Treasurer, Repo Anthony.

“The armed men ordered the labour leaders at gunpoint back into the hotel. The labour leaders are in Enugu for a rally on minimum wage.”

However, Comrade Omar, also in a text message to Nigerian Tribune on Thursday afternoon, said: “We have just finished a very successful rally. We were intimidated by not being allowed to leave our hotel rooms. But we broke them and went out. We have declared an indefinite strike until Chime succumbs and starts dialogue.”

In a statement issued by the TUC and entitled “News alert - Enugu State governor holds labour leaders hostage,” the congress alerted the general public to a possible breakdown of law and order in Enugu State.

The statement, signed by Comrade Esele and the TUC Secretary General, Comrade John Kolawole, said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) hereby alerts the general public to a possible breakdown of law and order in Enugu State, following the undemocratic and forceful attempt by Governor Sulivan Chime to suppress the rights of Nigerian workers in that state by his order to security forces in the state to hold them hostage in Gold Valley Hotel New Haven, Enugu.

“TUC condemns this antagonistic stance coming from a governor to whom the same workers sacri-ficed all to ensure he was re-elected, despite wide condemnations from several quarters.

“We call on the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to call Governor Chime to order, to avert a replica of mass protests that have brought many govern-ments down worldwide.”

Also, in a statement signed by the NLC Head of Information and Public Relations, Chris Uyot, the union condemned the resort to arm tactics and brutality being visited on labour leaders by Governor Chime.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State government has described the strike em-barked upon by workers as uncalled for and unfortunate.

“It beats the imagi-nation why the labour leaders should give such a directive, even when it is on record that the state government remains the only one in the geopolitical zone to have fully complied with the implementation of the payment of the minimum wage.

“The implementation was reflected in the payment of the workers’ salaries for August and this is verifiable,” the government said.

It added that Governor Chime had approved N18,500 as the minimum wage payable in the state, adding that the admini-stration had even paid the April to July arrears of the minimum wage.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/27988-nlc-tuc-leaders-locked-up-in-enugu