'Red alert' NUPENG threatens to go on nationwide strike

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to go on a nationwide strike over the attack on members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) protesting in Kaduna state yesterday May 18.

Members of the labour unions in Kaduna state on Monday, May 17, began a five-day working strike over the mass sack of civil servants in Kaduna state. The strike which the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has kicked against, took a different dimension on Tuesday when some thugs attacked the protesters.

In a statement released, the National President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, asked its members to be on red alert over the attack on NLC peaceful protest in Kaduna State. The association warned that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of the organised labour, the leadership of the union would not hesitate to call on all its members throughout the nation for a total shut down of all services in the upstream, mid-stream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

“In the light of the above, we are therefore putting all NUPENG members nationwide on red alert and may at very short notice of five hours call for a nationwide industrial action if situation arises.

“Our solidarity remains constant for the union makes us strong.”

The statement further reads

“The leadership of the union is therefore calling on the Federal Government to immediately call on Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to order before his arrogance and power-drunk ego further push the situation into horrendous calamity as he has been doing in all issues relating to human lives and wellbeing.

Consequently, the union reiterates that no labour leader or worker as the case may be, be harmed, harassed, maimed, humiliated or victimised during this five-day peaceful protests in the state.”