CLO DECRIES ALLEGED ATTACK ON LABOUR BY SECURITY AGENTS IN ENUGU

By Tony Edike
ENUGU-Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, South-East Zone, has condemned the alleged attack by security agents on the secretariat of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, in Enugu last Monday, during which two labour activists were arrested.

The organisation said the unionists  were having peaceful deliberations on the minimum wage issue when a combined team of policemen and soldiers on Urban Patrol swooped on the labour secretariat and attacked defenceless and innocent citizens present, describing the action of the security operatives as barbaric.

Similarly, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC,  called on Governor Sullivan Chime to release the leader of Enugu Workers Forum, Mr  Osmond Ugwu and a unionist, Raphael Elobuike, remanded in prison custody on Wednesday for alleged 'attempt to commit murder.'

CLO's statement was signed by Olu Omotayo and Danjuma Gambo, while CPC statement was by the governorship candidate of the party in April 2011 election in the state, Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

CPC said the murder charge against Ugwu and Raphael Elobuike was 'politically motivated' and demanded their immediate release.

The party condemned what it described as 'the intimidation of labour leaders in Enugu State as evidenced by the brutal manhandling of Comrade Osmond Ugwu and many workers last Monday.

'We demand the release of  Ugwu and co now.  We regard the charge of murder against them as politically motivated. They should be released forthwith. We shall meet their traducers in court.'