Oyo NLC Protesters Storm Secretariat, Beat Civil Servants, Lock Offices

For the second day running, about fifteen protesters, who are Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) members drawn from various ministries, judiciary, parastatals and agencies yesterday stormed the Oyo State Secretariat protesting and beat some civil servants who were on duty.

Protesting over unpaid deduction arrears which the government said was just three months unlike many months in .any other states, the civil servants were beaten up while some labour leaders watched, disrupting activities in government offices for several hours, locking some in their offices.

According to New Telegraph , the aggrieved labour members blocked the entrance to the Government Secretariat while some protesters stormed the entrance of the State Secretariat. Some male members of the union were assigned to sack offices, chasing out civil servants out.

A civil servant, Dare Olaniyan, staff of Oyo State Ministry of Information, and Orientation, reportedly sustained injuries when he was manhandled by the protesters. He said he was beaten by some of the protesters, despite the fact that he identified with their struggle.

He said, “I came inside Secretariat presmises 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”.

“But rather than settle the issue amicably, the NLC members decided to go physical, engaging me and others with me in a fight”, he said.

Meanwhile, 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.

Mr. Odukoya then told the protesters that it was unacceptable that protesters attack civil servants.

He added, “beating civil servants in the name of protest is against the law. You must desist from this act henceforth.”