You’re biased! NLC accuses Police over in-fighting within NURTW

The National Union of Road Transport Workers leadership is reportedly being torn apart by a conflict, and the Nigeria Labour Congress has accused the police of siding with one of the factions.

The NLC said in a statement posted on Friday by its acting president, Kabiru Minjibir, that the other parties had been covertly released while democratically elected NURTW officials were being jailed.

The NLC expressed sadness over the violence at the national secretariat of the NURTW, saying “The NLC is also alarmed by the police’s handling of the matter. Our investigations suggest undue favouritism by the state in enforcing peace. We are perturbed to learn that the democratically elected leaders of the union are being detained while the other parties have been discreetly released. Justice demands equal treatment in conflicts of this nature.

Read Also: Police arrests NURTW president, 3 others in Abuja

“We urgently call upon police authorities to promptly release the democratically elected union leaders from detention and conduct a fair investigation into the violence. Our nation cannot afford to entertain any semblance of impunity or bias, especially at this critical juncture. Let us refrain from exacerbating an already precarious situation with actions that may be construed as partiality towards illegality.”

The NLC added that established statutory avenues for resolution exist and should have been followed, but that it appeared authorities were unwilling to follow them.

Earlier, the President, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Tajudeen Baruwa, and 21 others, including three national officers of the union were detained by the police in Abuja.

Those arrested have been charged with alleged criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, public disturbance and conducts likely to cause breach of peace.

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