Some thugs hired by Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, attacked and chased away labour leaders picketing his house.
The labour leaders were protesting the refusal of Ngige to inaugurate Frank Kokori as head of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
NSITF is a parastatal under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
On Wednesday, some members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) stormed the residence of Ngige located at Asokoro, Abuja.
They blocked the entrance to the Minister’s house with two tankers and were chanting solidarity songs demanding that Ngige recognize and inaugurate Kokori as head of NSITF.
While the picketing was on, some armed thugs stormed the midst of the protesters and launched an attack on them.
Journalists covering the action were not spared as everybody took to their heels to escape being beaten by the thugs.
Speaking with newsmen, the labour leaders accused Ngige of attacking them.
They stated that “a decision would be taken at the Central Working Committee meeting on Thursday to decide on further action.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had on October 2017 appointed Frank Kokori as NSITF chairman, but Ngige who is reportedly against the appointment, refused to inaugurate him to the board.
Buhari, after 17 months, however, announced Austin Enajemo-Isire to head the parastatal in place of Kokori.
