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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has debunked media reports alleging that its president physically assaulted some civil servants on Wednesday at the Congress’ Headquarters.

The NLC described the report as an untrue and malicious allegation sponsored by some miscreants posing as workers’ representatives with the aim of spinning false narratives.

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It claimed to have video evidence of what happened on the said day to justify its position. The NLC in a statement by it’s Head, Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, also gave the management of media houses that published the story seven days to retract the story.

He said: “The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress was actually out of the office when he received a call that well-armed thugs and hoodlums had besieged the national headquarters of the NLC and were assaulting Congress staff and other workers in the premises. On getting to the office, he noticed that the mob had spilled over to the road adjourning the headquarters of the NLC. He decided to disembark from his vehicle to observe what was going on. It was at this point that he saw Mr. Emeka Anuna opening the trunk of his car and collecting placards and distributing money to some hoodlums who were beginning to disperse from the Labour House.

“The President and some staff of the congress then decided to accost Mr. Emeka Anuna to explain the reason for leading thugs to invade the Labour House. Our reason for engaging Mr. Emeka Anuna was because the NLC as an organisation that fights for the interest of workers and the masses believes in the sanctity of protest and would always be willing to engage any peaceful protest but not hoodlums.

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“The Nigeria Labour Congress is in possession of video clips of the attack against genuine workers and NLC Staff by hoodlums hired by Mr. Emeka Anuna who we know is not a worker as he has no known organisation that he can claim to work for or trade union that he can claim to belong to…”

We are shocked that such a character can claim to represent civil servants. The attack on the Labour House is not the first time that Mr. Anuna has resorted to self-help and criminal trespassing to achieve his selfish goals. He had on several occasions led thugs to besiege the office of the Minister of the FCT.

“The FGN/FCT/NLC/TUC/ Mass Housing Project of 2014 is a project that is dear to the heart of NLC and TUC and which has elicited very proactive, progressive, and sustained actions by the leadership of the Congress led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba to ensure timely delivery of the project. After a series of letters and strong representations by the NLC to the Minister of the FCTA, the Minister obliged our demand to visit the project site and assess the state of work.

Following the visit of the Honourable Minister, Mallam Mohammed Bello and subsequent meetings between the NLC, TUC, the Subscribers Association, and the Project Developer – Good Homes Limited, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) was appointed to chair a resolution committee with the mandate to resolve all the issues pertaining to the project. This Committee has met a number of times and has made some progress towards addressing the encumbrances by the developer which has militated against the project. Unfortunately, Mr. Anuna and a few of his ilk have chosen to sabotage the resolution process by hiring thugs from time to time to attack the offices of the Minister and the NLC…Clearly, what transpired at the NLC premises and its environ was a case of deliberate act of terrorism organized by Mr. Emeka Anuna. As already stated, Congress President, Ayuba Wabba, upon his return to the Labour House following a distress call saw Mr. Emeka Anuna distributing money and collecting placards from thugs and hoodlums, as established by their appearance and carriage.”

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(Sun)