Nigeria Labour Congress, Afenifere Youths Express Support For TB Joshua Over Building Collapse Case
The Lagos State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and a group of Yoruba youths have lent their voices to the growing call for justice to prevail in the controversial court case surrounding the collapse of a building at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) last year.
Nigeria’s ‘New Telegraph’ reported that a delegation of the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the government to unravel the truth behind the collapsed building.
The group led by Comrade I. A Adelekon, Chairman NLC Lagos State Council, yesterday, on a solidarity visit to The SCOAN headquarters in Ikotun, Lagos, said the way government handled the issue suggested that there was some foul play.
It insisted that government should dig deep into the mystery aircraft that hovered over the building moments before it collapsed.
Thanking Prophet T.B. Joshua for being a detribalised Nigerian who should be respected for his humanitarian efforts, the group observed that there was a need to employ foreign experts towards unravelling the real cause of the collapse which claimed 116 lives, mostly foreign.
In a solidarity letter sent to the General Overseer of The SCOAN, the group stated: "We have seen that you employ a lot of Nigerians to serve in various capacities in the church, thereby reducing the level of unemployment in the country. In view of the above, we are using this medium to sympathise with you and are calling on the Lagos State Government to seek Western assistance to unravel the mystery surrounding the collapse of the building".
In a related development, according to a report in Nigeria’s ‘Newswatch Times’, the Afenifere Youth Movement has taken the agitation for justice in the current litigation against The SCOAN to another level as the group petitioned the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, over what it described as 'misadministration of justice'.
The group lamented the ‘unnecessary dragging’ alongside the political dimension the matter has taken.
Earlier, the group said Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe handling the matter goofed by forgetting that he was to make a fair finding in the consideration of the matter and not to act as defendant to Lagos State government in the case.
Dropping this hint, the Publicity Secretary of the group, Ademola Olayori said Afenifere Youh Movement condemns any act of political trial to a non-political personality or institution.
Ademola said while the incident of the collapsed building happened in Yoruba land, the matter is a global issue capable of embarrassing the nation and its judicial system if not carefully handled.
The group noted that The SCOAN, beyond religious duties, has impacted positively on the lives of many Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion.
Afenifere Youth Movement vowed to continue to strengthen its agitation for justice for T.B. Joshua and the church.
The group specifically petitioned the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Majority Leader of the lower chamber, Femi Gbajabiamila, Honourable Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Honourable Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Nosa Osazuwa - with reports from New Telegraph and Newswatch Times