“Arrest Me If You Can”, NLC Chairman, Wabba Dares El-Rufai
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has reacted after he was on Tuesday declared wanted by the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai.
Wabba had on Monday led workers in Kaduna State on a warning strike to force El-rufai to rescind his decision to sack workers in the state.
The action by the NLC led to the grounding of economic and social activities in the state with workers in the railway, aviation, medical sector and others joining the protest staged by the Congress.
Reacting, Governor El-rufai, in a tweet yesterday, said the NLC and its protest displayed some unlawful actions. He accused the Congress of “shutting down electricity, coercion and restraints of personal freedom, trespass into public facilities and denial of access to healthcare for several of our citizens.”
“They closed several hospitals and chased away the patients,” he added.
In an update today, the governor said, “Ayuba Wabba & others of @NLCHeadquarters declared wanted for economic sabotage & attacks on public infrastructure under Miscellaneous Offences Act. Anyone that knows where he is hiding should send a message to @MOJKaduna KDSG. There will be a handsome reward!”
Reacting, the NLC Chairman, while leading a protest of striking workers to the government house on Tuesday, dared the governor to arrest him.
“Let him come and arrest me. We are here and waiting for them,” he was quoted by Dailytrust.
On Tuesday, Wabba, ignoring El-Rufai’s order declaring him wanted, led the labour unionists in a march from NLC Secretariat at Golf Course Road to NEPA Roundabout on Ahmadu Bello Way through Independence Way to Muhammadu Buhari Way.
However, the protest was disrupted at NEPA Roundabout, when scores of armed thugs wielding machetes and sticks attacked the unionists.
Police and other security personnel guarding the protesters repelled the thugs with tear gas.
According to reports, one of the thugs was nabbed by the protesting workers and handed over to the Police.
The protesters have retreated to their secretariat, to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
