Kaduna State Government has declared the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba and other executives wanted for alleged economic sabotage.
The state governor Nasir El-Rufai said, “Ayuba Wabba & others of NLC declared wanted for economic sabotage & attacks on public infrastructure under Miscellaneous Offences Act.”
El-Rufai said the state government has also placed an undisclosed bounty on the NLC executives.
“Anyone that knows where he is hiding should send a message to MOJ (Ministry of Justice) Kaduna. There will be a handsome reward,” El-Rufai tweeted.
NLC president Wabba and other national executives of labour unions on Monday began a five-day warning strike over the sacking of local government workers.
The leaders of various labour bodies protested through Kaduna metropolis to ground operations at ministries, parastatal and agencies under lock and keys.
All the commercial banks, transporters, traders, petrol stations attendants and others withdrew their services in the metropolis.
Major parts of Kaduna are experiencing a total blackout of electricity due to the strike. Airports have also been grounded with hospitals, schools and other working sectors on lockdown.
Addressing the labour workers at the commencement of the industrial action in Kaduna, Wabba accused the governor of being neoliberal in the government’s dealing with workers.
“As we speak, all labour leadership in the country are here in Kaduna. They are to protest the Neoliberal policy of this Government in throwing workers out of their jobs is extinguished,” Wabba said.
But Kaduna State head of service Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed said the government is not going back on its decision to downsize the workforce, describing the strike as economic sabotage by the unions.
“What is happening in Kaduna is not an industrial action but a campaign of social and economic sabotage,” Bariatu said.
“NLC are aware that inflicting pains on citizens by locking hospitals and shutting down electricity will not change the decision of Kaduna State government to rightsize and will not change our intention to use the Trade Union Act which prohibits strike by extension service workers.”
She said the Kaduna State Government is functioning despite “the illegal attempt to block our offices, hospitals and schools. The schools are opened, our offices are opened, the hospitals are opened.”
