The Federal Government has secured a court injunction against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC)’s planned industrial action, against the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Federal Government had dragged the NLC, TUC and their affiliates before the National Industrial Court seeking to stop the looming strike threatened by Labour over the fuel pump price increment.
The President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Babatunde Adejumo, restrained the NLC, TUC and their affiliates from embarking on any nationwide strike action.
The motion exparte was argued by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN before the President of the NICN.
“The defendants are hereby restrained from carrying out the threat contained in their communique issued on May 14, 2016 pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on May 16.
“It is the order of this court that status quo be maintained as at May 17. I decided to take this case this morning because it is on an issue that will affect everybody. I don’t want people to be subjected to hardship. There will be scarcity of foods, people may die, students will engage in all sorts of activities. This is why I have to grant this order”, the court held.
The AGF had argued before the court that it was in the national interest to stop NLC from shutting down the nation over last week’s increase in price of fuel.
He cited Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution as amended to justify his application to stop the strike.
Malami argued that no amount of damages could serve as compensation if NLC was allowed to shut down the economy.
He contended that ordinary and law abiding citizens would be subjected to hardship if the respondents were allowed to go ahead with their threat.
Malami argued that the government was left with no alternative but to seek the intervention of the court.
The FG is seeking an order to restrain NLC, TUC and their affiliates from embarking on strike.
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