The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba announced the suspension of the five-day warning strike on the second day.
Wabba explained that the decision followed the Federal Government intervention.
It was however unclear as of 10pm if the Kaduna State Government would honour the invitation extended to it and the labour leadership to a meeting today in Abuja.
The strike and protest started midnight Sunday to compel Governor Nasir El-Rufai administration to reinstate the over 45,000 sacked workers.
The protesting civil servants and the NLC leadership are also seeking to stop the planned dismissal of 11,000 additional workers and anti-labour policies of the government.
Addressing reporters in Abuja last night, Wabba, who led the NLC team to Kaduna, said the union received a letter from the Labour and Employment ministry for a tripartite meeting today in the office of the minister, Dr. Chris Ngige.
Wabba said the National Executive Council of the NLC would meet on May 25 to discuss the next line of action on the workers’ demands.
Ngige’s letter to Wabba and the governor reads in part: “I am … constrained in the exercise of my powers as the Minister of Labour and Employment , under the Trade Disputes Act, CAP. T8, Laws of Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004; to invite you and your top officials to the emergency trade dispute conciliation meeting.
“Between the transition period for the meeting, you are please requested to maintain the status quo ante bellum this dispute, so that the enabling climate for the resolution of the issues in dispute will not be hindered by the creation of new issues.”
Before the letter was issued, tension had heightened in Kaduna with Wabba and El-Rufai maintaining their positions.
The NLC chief while addressing the workers at the NLC state secretariat warned that labour might issue a directive to shutdown economic activities nationwide within 48 hours, if El-Rufai failed to meet the demands of the workers.
Wabba said: “The attack on us yesterday (Tuesday) is highly demeaning and uncalled for. We know the sponsors and we pray for God Almighty to bring their downfall, we will however not relent in our peaceful course.
“When any tier of government refuses a lawful avenue of engagements to address issues but resolved in using violence especially to address industrial related matters, that shows incapacity to lead.
“We have come out today stronger, we will not be deterred by any form of threats or manhandling. We are peaceful Nigerians seeking redress over inhuman acts and we shall see it to the latter.”
He said updates on the strike were being communicated to the European Union, United Nations and other international authorities.
But tough-talking El-Rufai vowed to ensure that the NLC leaders were prosecuted and jailed 27 years each in accordance with the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
He told the 23rd Annual Tax Conference organised by the the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) that he would break the strike and prosecute “the criminals” for preventing ”businesses like banks, petrol stations and others from opening.”
The governor however pointed out that his government was not against the right of workers to go on strike. He argued that such workers “must walk out of their work place and allow it to function without them.”
His said: ”I want to assure you that we will break the strike and deal with the criminals, prosecute all those that have broken the law to the fullest extent. I assure you that they will never come back to this state by the time we are done with them.
“Public infrastructure is a public asset belonging to the federation which belongs to all the people in Nigeria and you have no right to shut it down and if you do, you are liable to be convicted.”
Government, according to him, is going to pursue those engaged in this sabotage to the full extent of the law.”
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed fielding questions from State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, assured that the Federal Government had taken pre-emptive measures to ensure that hoodlums did not take advantage of the Kaduna protest.
He said: ”The Federal government is not folding its arms and already the Minister of Labour and Employment has waded in and is in touch with both the government of Kaduna State and also the Labour.
“In addition, the security apparatus all over the country have also taken pre-emptive measures to ensure that hoodlums don’t take advantage of this situation. In particular, I know that the police have reinforced their patrol between Kaduna and Abuja, so that we do not witness kidnappers taking advantage of the situation.
“The Federal Government is quite concerned and is doing its best to see how the two parties can resolve their misunderstandings amicably, with little loss to productivity, little loss to properties.”
