Rivers state chapter of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has embarked on an indefinite strike.
Chairman of Port Harcourt zone of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Godwin Eruba told newsmen yesterday that the union has embarked on an indefinite strike in the state over alleged police brutality and attack on its members.
He said the move was as a result of assault and brutality its members experienced in the hands of the Rivers State Police during an industrial action against an oil firm in Port Harcourt resulting in injuries and other bodily harm.
Members of the group were attacked by the police when they staged a protest at the premises of Weather Fold Nigeria Limited because of an unresolved industrial issue. The labour leader found the action of the police disgusting for attacking their members who did nothing against the law.
According to Aruba: “We have what we consider to be a clearly industrial relations matter because Weather Ford sacked our members without following due process. We went to picket them, which is very lawful and in the cause of picketing them, the purportedly told us that they went to court.
“While we were trying to resolve the matter, asking the court to let them come as usual for us to resolve the matter and allow it to rest or if possible return to the court, on October 12, as early as 3.00 am in the morning, the Rivers State Police Command sent over 10 Hilux vehicles full of policemen, armed to the teeth and came to where our members were picketing and manhandled them. They shot at them, both with gun and tear-gas. As we speak, four of our members are lying critically at the hospital.”
Reacting to the issue, chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state, Hyginus Chika Onuegbu condemned the alleged attack on leaders of oil workers in the state, who were on their legitimate assignment by men of the Rivers State Police Command.
A statement from Onuegbu reads: “We know the Police Command in Rivers state for their professionalism and therefore surprised that some of their men could embark on this vexatious action. We therefore call on the Rivers state Government, the Commissioner of Police and Federal ministry of labour to immediately intervene in the matter as a matter of urgency . As a Congress we support NUPENG and PENGASSAN in whatever action they may consider appropriate in the circumstance to protect the rights of their members.”
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Ahmad Muhammad, denied the allegation against the police.
“I don’t think that is what happened; I don’t know why they are going around saying that police brutalized them. Police was there as security based on demand by the company and to enforce a court judgement. What is there is that there was a court judgement and the police was needed to be there to assist the court bailiff to enforce the judgement. Everybody can open his mouth and say what he wants to say to just to gain cheap popularity.” Muhammad said.