The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has issued a sincere plea to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), urging them to honor a court order and desist from proceeding with the scheduled strike action.
In a statement released by his Special Assistant, Communication and publicity, Mr. Kamarudeen Ogundele, Fagbemi underscored that any defiance of the court’s directive would constitute contempt of court.
The Attorney-General clarified that the Federal Government (FG) had dutifully served both the NLC and TUC with copies of a restraining order from the National Industrial Court, effectively prohibiting the labor unions from initiating the planned strike action.
“We wish to remind the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress that there is a subsisting court order preventing the unions and their affiliates from embarking on the strike,” emphasized the AGF.
The interim order, granted on November 10 by the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice B. B. Kanyip, has been duly conveyed to the unions. Fagbemi appealed to the unions to comply with the court order and submit to the authority of the court, which was already seized with the case.
In light of potential consequences, the AGF cautioned, “Any action taken contrary to the order will be tantamount to contempt of court.” He further implored the unions to uphold the rule of law, discourage self-help measures, and encourage workers to report for duties without fear. Fagbemi assured that their safety is guaranteed and will be protected within the framework of the law.
The labor unions had announced an indefinite nationwide strike in protest of the assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero in Owerri, Imo State, on November 1, along with other unresolved labor-related issues. The Federal Government’s appeal aims to avert the strike and foster a resolution through legal processes and compliance with court directives.