News
Blackout: Arrest, Prosecute Electricity Union Workers For Strike, CASER Urges AGF

The Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER) has urged the Attorney-General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to direct the arrest and prosecution of electricity union workers for embarking on strike action on August 17 knowing fully well that they render essential service to the nation.
Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) had shut down a number of power supply stations across the country throwing parts of the nation into darkness.
They had declared industrial action to protest the directive by the Transmission Company of Nigeria board that all principal managers in acting capacity must undergo a promotion interview before getting promoted to acting general manager.
Later, the union called off the strike same day after reaching a truce with the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige.
But CASER’s Executive Director, Frank Tietie, maintained in a statement, yesterday, that the strike action was an act of terrorism on the nation.
He argued that it is unconstitutional for trade unions and workers in the essential services sector to embark on such actions.
He wrote, “What the electricity workers who went on strike have failed to realise is that their strike action on the 17th of August, 2022 amounted to an act of terrorism against the Nigerian State and that they are, therefore, liable to be punished with life imprisonment on conviction according to the combined provisions of Section 1 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act (as Amended) which defines an ‘act of terrorism’ to include any act deliberately done with malice, aforethought and which: (a) may seriously harm or damage a country or an international organisation; (b) is intended or can reasonably be regarded as having been intended to— (i) unduly compel a government or international organisation to perform or abstain from performing any act; (ii) seriously intimidate a population ; (iii) seriously destabilise, or destroy the fundamental political, constitutional, economic, social structures of a country or an international organisation; or, (iv) otherwise influence such government or international organisation by intimidation or coercion; and (c) involves, as the case may be, the interference with or disruption of the supply of water, power or any other fundamental natural resource, the effect of which is to endanger human life.”
Tietie added that irrespective of the genuineness of the demands of any Nigerian workers union, the Nigerian law restrains them from strike actions capable of crippling the economy.
He urged the AGF to use his office to enforce legal provisions against illegal strikes.
The statement partly reads: “The Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER) has since 2014 been at the forefront of calling for proper legal action against trade unions in Nigeria which embark on illegal strike actions, especially in the essential services sectors of health and education.
“It is criminal by the provisions of Section 31 (6) of the Trade Unions Act for workers in the essential services sector to embark on strike actions, but the failure of successive administrations to deal with this mindless criminality has led to the present worsening and highly embarrassing situation where even electricity workers have now decided to disregard the law by embarking on debilitating strike action on the 17th of August, 2022.
“There is a reason why the National Assembly of Nigeria in 2005 outlawed strikes in the essential services sector. It is not unconnected with the fragility of the Nigerian society and other related problems which are fundamental to the well-being of the Nigerian people. Thus, in that short period for which power generation and distribution were wholly shut down in Nigeria, the electricity union succeeded in inflicting untold hardships on Nigerians and caused losses in the billions of Naira to Nigerian businesses. This is unacceptable!
“To the above end, the electricity workers cannot be excused by the exception in subsection 3 of the above section as they embarked on the strike for coercion.
“What the electricity workers have done is not different from acts by a terrorist group such as Boko Haram. Therefore, it is only appropriate to institute criminal proceedings against them to serve as deterrence to other unions in the essential services sector that may contemplate any illegal strikes.
“If electricity workers can embark on strikes, then members of the Nigerian Police and military- Army, Navy and Air Force can also embark on strike actions. Such a situation is unimaginable. That is why the law prohibits such strike actions.
“Therefore, dear Attorney General, your failure to enforce the legal standards as to illegal strikes as in the tradition of past administrations which, for reasons of lack of political will, failed to act in the public interest, will lead to the further expansion of the reign of impunity which has been the bane of Nigeria’s fragile democracy.
“TAKE NOTICE, therefore, that CASER shall continue to engage your office in this matter in the hope that decisive actions will be taken against illegal strikes in Nigeria. Where necessary, it shall secure an appropriate order of a court of competent jurisdiction to ensure compliance with the above standards set in Nigerian criminal law.”
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers1 day ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
News1 day ago
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman
-
Opinion1 day ago
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
HYPREP Trains Lab Technicians To Standardise Water Quality In Ogoniland
-
News1 day ago
Tinubu, Govs Forum Congratulate Okpebholo On S’Court Victory …As Obaseki Expresses Disappointment
-
Politics1 day ago
Lagos LG Polls: Police Restrict Movement, Tightens Security
-
Rivers1 day ago
VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria
-
Politics1 day ago
Obey Order On AA In Six Days, Court Directs INEC, Yakubu