With the overwhelming presence of 8,000 personnel deployed by the police across Kaduna State, members of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, could not be intimidated.
They dared the police and marched through the streets of Kaduna to register their opposition to the mass sack carried out by Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
36,000 workers in the state were fired.
The NLC on Tuesday gave a warning that its members would march through the streets of Kaduna to protest the sacking of its members by the governor.
Barely a day to the protest, a threat was issued by the police to stop the angry workers from showing their displeasure on the streets.
Whoever had that notion should shelve it or face the wrath, the police warned.
To show that it was not an empty threat, the police deployed its men to the major streets of Kaduna State and the headquarters of the NLC in the state.
However, despite the intimidating presence of security personnel, workers refused to be cowed.
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They trooped out in their thousands and broke the cordon made by the police to express their annoyance over the mass sack in the state.
Led by the President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, the workers marched to Government House to register their annoyance.
The protest was a confirmation of the vow made earlier by the union that its members could not be stopped.
The governor was accused of disregarding court orders which prohibited him from sacking the workers pending the ruling on a case before it.
The workers, as well, accused him of using security agencies to intimidate them.
They argued that the excuse that some of the teachers were sacked because they failed a competency test was a mere excuse to lay off the workers.
Said Wabba: “The sack of 36,000 workers has nothing to do with competency; Kaduna State government didn’t conduct competency test for local government workers yet they were sacked.
“We are here to defend the right of 36,000 workers and their families that have been disengaged from the state civil service.
“The last time we were here, we talked of only 21,000 teachers, but today as we speak over 4,000 local government workers have been issued sack letters, and over 8,000 from ministries, department and agencies including tertiary institutions have been sacked.
“This is cruelty, as this is not what we bargained for and we can’t keep quiet in a decent society where this is happening.
“We have now tested the waters and the struggle will be carried out to every state.
“In Kaduna State no worker is safe, no family is safe and it is better they are defeated struggling than to be defeated in their comfort zone.
“Injury to one is an injury to all and I am happy that our unions are here in full force to support us.
“This solidarity must continue because today is for Kaduna workers and tomorrow can be workers in other states.’’
The NLC president described the deployment of security agents to frustrate the peaceful protest as uncalled for.
According to him, “deploying security agencies with arms to armless workers is condemnable even globally.’’
He said it was unfortunate that El-Rufai, despite benefitting from the freedom of association, including protests organised by the NLC at different occasions, deployed the police to emasculate the masses.
“We wrote to the Governor officially we are going to deliver our letter of protest but here we are because they are not connected to the people, relating with the people and have no concern for the people that is why they are not here.
“In 2012 governor El-Rufai joined us in a struggle where he was given T-shirt and Cap, the picture is there in the social media,” he added.
