We won’t bow to pressure, Labour tells FG

Members of the organised labour, on Monday lampooned the federal government over the use of force by deploying military officers against some workers in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Daily Trust reports that workers in the TCN had earlier in the day joined the ongoing nationwide industrial action and withdrew their services, the development that collapsed the national grid while in turn threw Nigerians into darkness.

Authority of the TCN immediately raised the alarm that it should not be held responsible for nationwide blackout, saying national grid shutdown occurred at about 2.19am, on Monday.

The authority claimed that at about 1:15am this morning, the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room.

It also said the staff that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was brought to zero.

Confirming shutdown of the national grid, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, told journalists in Abuja on Monday that workers at the TCN would remain undaunted despite the government’s deployment of the military to force them.

The labour leader called on Nigerians to solidarise with them in the present struggle in order to liberate the poor masses from the hands of those who he described as “oppressors and insensitive leaders.”

Ajaero said, “We have been duly informed that the TCN management has resorted to the use of the military in its effort at intimidating and harassing workers in its employ who are carrying out their lawful and democratic duties at various TCN plants around Nigeria.

“We are sure that members of the military so misused by this deployment are not happy with the management and the authorities who have authorised the deployment.

“The NLC and TUC remains steadfast in its commitment to the emancipation of downtrodden Nigerians and will persist in the struggle for a fair and just living wage, as well as the reversal of the excessive electricity tariff hike.

“We call on all Nigerians to stand in solidarity with us as we demand the implementation of policies that prioritize the wellbeing of the people. We will not back down and we will not give in to any blackmail, intimidation or harassment.”

The NLC President, however, warned that the management of TCN would be held liable for any injury inflicted on any worker by their resort to the use of the powers of the military.

He stated: “It is also important that we inform TCN that deploying military men to its locations is a clear abuse and insult on the military especially in a democracy.”