By Asuquo Cletus Felix
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened a nationwide protest, following the alleged police brutality against members of its affiliate unions, NASU, and SSANU, during a peaceful protest at unity fountain on Thursday, July 18th, 2024 in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued on Thursday by Benson Upah, head of information and public affairs titled “Government Is Courting A Major National Protest”.
It was gathered that compol Igweh who was deployed to the venue of the protest, allegedly used armoured tanks, assault dogs and police personnel to break up the peaceful protest using “excessive force and other hostile means”.
“The FCT police command commissioner, compol Bennett Igweh deservedly earned our outrage and contempt by violently breaking up a peaceful protest at unity fountain on Thursday, July 18, 2024 by members of two of our affiliates NASU and SSANU.
” Compol Igweh caused to be deployed to the venue of the protest, used armoured tanks, assault dogs and police personnel in battle gear who broke up the peaceful protest using excessive force and other hostile means.
” In the light of this, we demand an immediate apology to NASU and SSANU whom they violated.
“We also demand the immediate payment of the withheld salaries. We had had cause to write to the Government as well as issue a press statement on this matter in the recent past. Government will be courting a major national industrial protest, if it continues to ignore our wide counsel”.-It reads in part.