The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to shut down Nigeria over the ‘arrogance’ of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai.
Comrade Williams Akporeha and Comrade Afolabi Olawale, National President and Secretary in a statement said NUPENG is deeply saddened with the violent turn of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) peaceful protests by the ‘dictatorial and despotic regime of Governor Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna State.”’They urged the Federal Government to immediately call on El-Rufai to order “before his arrogance and power drunk ego further push the situation into horrendous calamity as he has been doing in all issues relating to human lives and wellbeing”.
NUPENG warned that no labour leaders or workers be harmed, harassed, maimed, humiliated or victimized during the 5-day peaceful protests in the State.
‘Our Union is raising this alarm following the very reliable report of the clandestine move of Governor Nasir El-RUfai to hurt and put the lives of NLC President,Comrade Ayuba Wabba and other Labour Leaders to danger in his usual blind egotistical style of running government in the State.’
‘NUPENG therefore warns that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of organized Labour, the Leadership of the Union will not hesitate to call on all our members throughout the nation for a total shut down of all our services in the upstream, mid-stream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.’
‘In the light of the above, we are therefore putting all NUPENG members nationwide on red alert and may at very short notice of five hours call for a nationwide industrial action if situation arises.’
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK