A nationwide strike could be on the horizon as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) throws its full weight behind the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in the ongoing dispute over the alleged military eviction of oil workers from the Oritsetimeyin oil rig. NUPENG has issued a stern warning, stating that it will proceed with a nationwide strike unless the government takes swift action to hold the involved parties accountable, particularly the security personnel responsible for the eviction.

According to NUPENG, military personnel were dispatched to forcibly remove its members from the oil rig, despite the existence of formal agreements between the union and the oil rig’s management. The union has denounced the act as a violation of these agreements and a misuse of state security forces for corporate gain.

In response, Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, condemned the military’s involvement, calling it an attack on workers’ rights and a breach of established industrial relations practices. The NLC emphasized the critical need to respect negotiated agreements and warned that using military force in workplace disputes could destabilize Nigeria’s economy.

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The NLC has called for urgent intervention from the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant authorities to resolve the situation. They urged that workplace conflicts be resolved through established industrial relations processes rather than through forceful measures.

NUPENG’s demand for the payment of severance benefits for workers had previously been addressed with mediation from the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), in collaboration with the DSS. However, NUPENG claims that the oil companies involved—Dutchford E&P and Selective Marine Services—are deliberately failing to honor these binding agreements.

The NLC reiterated its full support for NUPENG and warned that failure to resolve the issue could lead to more significant actions, reinforcing the importance of protecting workers’ rights at all costs.