Police Seal Ebonyi NULGE Secretariat

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) secretariat in Ebonyi has been sealed by the state Police Command.

Our correspondent who visited the secretariat on Monday reports that mobile policemen were seen searching people found within the secretariat.

Our correspondent reports that there has been a leadership tussle between the National President of the union, Mr Kingsley Ogba, and the state Chairman, Comrade Leonard Nkah.

Mr Dipo Ayeni, the Commissioner of Police in the state, confirmed the deployment of mobile policemen to the area.

He said: “The decision to seal the secretariat is to forestall any break-down of law and order and prevent thugs from hijacking the crisis.’’

Ogba later at a news conference announced the suspension of the state Working Committee of the union and the appointment of a seven-member Caretaker Committee, headed by Mr Simon Igwe.

He said the Secretary of the Organising Committee, Mr Samuel Nnaji, would act as secretary of the committee.

“The suspension of the Executive Committee became necessary due to continued acts of willful diversion of the union’s check-off dues.

“Since November 2009 only N600,000 out of N36 million was remitted to the national secretariat by the executive.

“There are also outstanding arrears between 2007 and 2009 which amount to more than N20 million. The situation is simply unacceptable, because many states are emulating Ebonyi branch in the criminal act.

“The development has resulted in non-payment of salaries to staff of the national secretariat,” he added.

In his response, Nkah said Ogba lacked the constitutional right to suspend his executive.