The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) has condemned the deployment of military forces to evict workers of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) from the Oritsetimeyin oil rig.
The forceful action, reportedly linked to certain corporate interests, has been decried as an assault on workers’ rights and industrial relations principles.
In a statement signed by NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero on November 7 and made available to Africa Health Report on Friday, the Congress expressed its unequivocal solidarity with NUPENG, calling the use of military personnel an “abuse of state security instruments.”
Ajaero said, “The militarization of workplaces is counter-productive and undermines industrial harmony. It jeopardizes our already fragile economy by introducing coercion where there should be negotiation.”
NUPENG has claimed that the workers were unlawfully evicted for demanding the implementation of a severance benefits agreement signed with their employers.
This agreement was brokered in multiple meetings involving the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
However, the workers’ demands have been ignored by their employers, including Dutchford E&P and Selective Marine Services.
Ajaero stressed, “The involvement of the military in this industrial dispute is inappropriate. It is a matter for industrial relations, not military intervention.”
He called for immediate government intervention to prevent further harassment of NUPENG members.
The NLC president further reminded the military and security agencies of their core responsibilities, urging them to focus on national defense rather than enforcing corporate agendas.
The NLC warned it would escalate its response if the situation continued to escalate.
