COUNCIL OF INDUSTRIAL UNIONS OPERATING IN LAGOS STATE PUBLIC SERVICE
MOTTO: "An Injury to one is an injury to all"
The Council of Industrial Unions (C.O.I.U) wishes to inform the Nigerian public and the world at large that Governor Tinubu led A.D government in Lagos State killed in cold blood one of our members in person of Mr. Adigun Popoola of Ministry of Works this morning at 11.15a.m
Since the strike started on the 22nd of June 2000, our members have been holding daily peaceful rallies and processions around the Lagos State secretariat. This morning as we embarked on the normal peaceful procession around the gates of the state secretariat, Alausa, policemen without cause or provocation started shooting tear gas and live bullets on the workers. In the process Mr. Adigun Popoola was hit. But he did not die immediately. When he fell down one of the police officers hit him in a callous and brutal manner. The police shot at the tyres of the vehicle conveying him to the hospital and in the ensuing confusion and delay Mr. Popoola gave up the ghost and was actually confirmed dead by doctors at Duro Soleye Hospital at Allen Avenue, Ikeja.
The police came in a convoy of four vehicles two of which bear Nos LA 20 AO1 (HQ) and BD 338 LSD (210). Aside from Mr. Popoola, Alhaja A. I. Olorunmibe, the chairperson of NLC Lagos State was also shot in the leg. In addition four of the striking workers, Mrs. Lousy Effiong, Mr. Ijegbayi, Mr Akintonmide and one other woman whose names cannot be confirmed at the time of writing this statement have been arrested. Meanwhile, comrade Ayodele Akele, Chairman of the Council of Industrial Unions in Lagos state has been arrested since yesterday by the members of the State Security Service (S.S.S) in connection with the industrial strike for the actualisation of the N7, 500 minimum wage across the board for all the public servants in the state, and his where about is still unknown.
The C.O.I.U. wishes to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to continue with its industrial strike until our demand of N7,5000 minimum wage across the board is actualised. In addition, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of comrade Akele and all other workers detained in connection with the ongoing industrial action by Lagos state workers.
We demand the immediate prosecution of the killers of Mr. Popoola and a public apology and adequate financial compensation for the family of Mr Popoola from the Lagos State government and the police. In this dark hours we hereby appeal to all men amd women of good conscience to prevail on the Lagos state government to desist from its barbaric and fascistic acts which brings back the better forgotten memories of the years of military dictatorship. In this respect we demand the immediate withdrawal of all policemen from the secretariat Alausa and other work places. We are workers not vandals. We have been on strike for the past two weeks and yet not a single louvre of glass or property of the state has been vandalised. It is the thugs brought by the state government and the police who have been disturbing public peace. We are also calling for the immediate resignation of Govenor Bola Ahmed because of the intransigent manner he has been handling the affairs of the state since the beginning of the strike action.
Finally, we wish to use this medium to once again appeal to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (N.L.C) to organise a coordinated nationwide struggle to actualise the new minimum wage for all categorise of workers across the country. This is necessary to prevent a situation where workers fight in isolation from one state to another.
The struggle continues. Victory is certain because our cause is just.
Comrade (Alhaja) A.I. Olorunmibe Comrade Henry Akinwunmi
N.L.C Chairperson, Lagos State Secretary, COIU
5th July, 2000
COUNCIL OF INDUSTRIAL UNIONS OPERATING IN LAGOS STATE PUBLIC SERVICE
The COIU would like to inform that this morning at the state secretariat, Alausa, the state governor ordered the use of live bullets on a peaceful procession of workers. In the process, a civil servant, Mr Adigun Popoola, who is a driver with the state Ministry of Works, Alausa, Ikeja was shot dead by anti-riot policemen.
We condemn this unprecedented and mindless brutality and bloodletting by a so-called democratically elected government of Governor Bola Tinubu.
RELEASE COMRADE AYODELE AKELE NOW!
The Council of Industrial Unions (COIU) in Lagos State Civil Service strongly condemns the arrest of Comrade Ayodele Akele, the chairman of COIU, by the State Security Service (SSS) apparently acting on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
For almost two weeks, comrade Akele has been leading the peaceful and non-violent strike of the state civil servants, including local government employees, for the payment of N7,500 minimum wage across the board.
The arrest therefore is nothing but a calculated attempt by the Lagos State Government to behead and break the worker’s industrial action at all costs. This arrest and the brutality employed against striking workers are reminiscent of the era of military dictatorship.
The arrest is baseless, unwarranted, illegal and unconstitutional and as such we demand for his immediate and unconditional release.
The COIU would like to state that the Lagos State Government is making a very serious and grievous mistake if it thinks that Akele's arrest is the solution to the on-going strike of the state civil servants. The COIU and the state workers are more than ever determined to fight for our legitimate right until our demand for N7,500 minimum wage across the board is met. The arrest can only prolong the strike action since the COIU and workers will not conduct negotiation with the government without the release and presence of Comrade Ayodele Akele.
The COIU finds very amusing the latest statement credited to the Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, that he is withdrawing his initial offer of N7,500 for grade levels 01-06 and that the state government would now pay N5,500 across the board. This new shift does not portray any serious approach to governance by the state government. The COIU condemns and rejects this new offer in its entirety.
The COIU calls on all state civil servants, including local government employees, nurses, teachers, parastatals workers, and all other categories not to be intimidated by the arrest of Comrade Akele and the brutality of the Lagos State, but to remain determined, steadfast and resolute in our legal and non-violent struggle to earn N7,500 across the board.
The struggle continues.
Henry Akinwunmiju
Secretary, COIU
Attack on Socialists in Nigeria