Photos: Police Open fire on Workers in Nassarawa During Protest

According to reports, Police shot four workers in Nassarawa State on Friday during the meeting between Nigeria Labour Congress Nassarawa State chapter and the state government over the protracted labour crisis rocking the state.

While Speaking to journalists at the police clinic in Lafia, NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, told newsmen  that the workers were shot by a policeman at the gate of the Government House while they were waiting for the outcome of the meeting with Gov. Umaru Al-Makura.

It would be recalled that Workers in the state had embarked on an indefinite strike following the decision of the state government to slash their salary by 50 per cent.

The incidence led to the death of one of the workers who was a staff at the state Ministry of Education , while the three others who sustained gunshot wounds including a staff of Doma Local Government Council, the Judicial Service Commission and a journalist with the defunct Nigerian Newsday, a state-owned media outfit.

According to Mr. Wabba, “The workers were unarmed and peacefully protesting for their rights only to be shot at by policemen stationed at the government house gate.
“We do not know what prompted them to shoot at unarmed workers who were waiting for us to finish discussion with the state government over the issue of their emoluments.
“They were attacked with maximum force. You can see one dead, two critically injured. They were very peaceful, unfortunately the police, under whatever pretense opened fire. It is most unfortunate,” he said.

The NLC boss however called on the police authority to fish out those responsible for the shooting or face a nationwide protest by the congress.

“The rules of engagement in such a situation must be adhered to as everybody around the world has a right to protest. These workers have a right under the law,” he said.

Reacting over the alleged shooting, the Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Bello, said he was yet to be briefed as he was attending the meeting between NLC and the state government.

 

 

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