NLC Condemns Flogging Of Workers In Ebonyi Viral Video, Gives Umahi 48hrs To Apologise

The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor has condemned the alleged flogging of workers by soldiers in a video which has gone viral.

In a statement seen by 9NEWS NIGERIA, Comrade Nwafor said that contrary to the claims of the State government that the footage was soldiers trying to discipline “some miscreants or IPOB members” trying to enforce a sit-at-home order and thereby preventing the Governor from gaining access into the premises, the reality is that the victims were civil servants and menial workers working at the ongoing construction site at the airport.

According to the statement, NLC condemned the shameful video in it’s totality and give Governor Umahi just 48 hours to apologize to Ebonyians over that monumental embarrassment. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Labour Act, Chapter L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 otherwise referred to as; (“Labour Act”) clearly prescribe how an errant civil servant should be disciplined in line with global best practices that meets the International Labour Organization’s standards.

The statement reads,

“The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor wishes to use this avenue to condemn in strongest terms the October 4th 2022 incident wherein soldiers allegedly acting on the orders of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi flogged civil servants who reported late to work with horsewhips at the entrance gate of the State’s Airport site in Okaleru, Ezza North Local Government Area of the State.

In a video which has since gone viral on the Social media, the Aide De Camp to the Governor is seen with soldiers flogging workers who were lying down on a mud floor while the Governor who parked his official vehicle directly in the opposite lane was seen supervising the torture.

While the government through a statement by the office of the State’s Commissioner for Information, Barr. Uchenna Orji has tried to fabricate a cover up on the incident which is not the first and may not even be the last, Nigerians and the world have been asking lots of probing questions emanating attempt to stand truth, facts and Logic on its head.

First is that contrary to the claims of the State government that the footage was soldiers trying to discipline “some miscreants or IPOB members” trying to enforce a sit-at-home order and thereby preventing the Governor from gaining access into the premises, the reality is that the victims were civil servants and menial workers working at the ongoing construction site at the airport.

For the benefit of the doubters, the identities of the victims who are mainly staff of the State’s Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Concession, MIDC have been revealed as follows; Iyke Okoro, HoD Finance/Accountant, Emmanuel Ajuka, Cashier and Engr.Monday Ogboloko of the Civil Department.

Others are; a female, Basil Blessing Oluchi, a Storekeeper in the Ministry and some Machine Operators and Project staff working in the State’s Airport project site.

NLC is miffed that a leader in the mould of Umahi who even took a serious shot at Nigeria’s Presidency could order, condone and even supervise such uncouth and terribly barbaric actions by his security details in a democratic setting like ours.

We hereby condemn that shameful video in it’s totality and give Governor Umahi just 48 hours to apologize to Ebonyians over that monumental embarrassment. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Labour Act, Chapter L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 otherwise referred to as; (“Labour Act”) clearly prescribe how an errant civil servant should be disciplined in line with global best practices that meets the International Labour Organization’s standards.

The law does not permit in any way or form for a uniformed officer to lay hands on a civil servant no matter the offense simply on the orders of anyone, not even the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We hereby call on the Nigerian military top hierarchy to withdraw and discipline the soldiers who participated in this unholy and highly unprofessional conducts.

Moreso, the Ebonyi State’s Chapter of NLC has it on good authority that the Personal Assistant to the Honourable Commissioner for Infrastructure Development and Concession, Chief Romanus Nwasum and his official driver have both been arrested and put in detention for recording that viral video.

NLC equally condemns this unlawful conduct in a democracy and calls on the Inspector General of Police, Baba Usman to order the State’s Commissioner of Police to unconditionally release them to their families and loved ones. For we do not see any crime that was also committed by these ones in an era of citizens journalism!.”