Some members of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State on Tuesday stormed the State Secretariat protesting and beating up civil servants.
The NLC members numbering about 15 and drawn from various ministries, including judiciary, parastatals and agencies disrupted activities in government offices for several hours, locking some workers in their offices.
The ongoing protest by the Oyo State chapter of NLC began on Monday. The protesters are demanding for payment of their deductions, allowances among others. The aggrieved labour members blocked the entrance to the Government secretariat in the State over unpaid deduction arrears.
While some protesters stormed the entrance of the State secretariat, some male members of the union were assigned to chase people out of their offices. The protesters, who carried sticks, sang songs and disrupted official duties.
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During the protest, a civil servant, Dare Olaniyan, a staff of Oyo State Ministry of Information, and Orientation sustained injuries. He was manhandled beaten by some of the protesters, despite identifing with their struggle.
“I came inside secretariat premises to pick my belongings, in the office. All attempts to explain this to the protesters fell on deaf ears, as they launched an attack on me, for no just cause,” he said.
“But rather than settle the issue amicably, the NLC members decided to go physical, engaging me and others with me in a fight,” As the protesters unleashed terror on Dare Olaniyan, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd) who drove to the scene stopped them immediately and told the protesters that it was unacceptable to attack civil servants.
“Beating civil servants in the name of protest is against the law. You must desist from this act henceforth,” he said.
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