National Assembly Locked Down for Second Day in Labor Strike
Workers' Protest Continues to Paralyze Legislative Hub
For the second consecutive day this week, the Nigerian National Assembly remains paralyzed as the indefinite strike called by the Nigerian Labour Congress continues to grip the nation’s capital.
Reports from The Press revealed that on Tuesday, only limited access was available through the three gates of the National Assembly. This disruption stems from the recent assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, two weeks ago.
On Wednesday, officials of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, acting on NLC orders, took the drastic step of locking all the gates to the National Assembly.
By 7:30 am on Wednesday, the main gate, the entrance to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Villa gate— the three gateways to the National Assembly—were securely padlocked, causing inconvenience to staff, journalists, and visitors.
As the morning progressed, lawmakers arrived only to find all entrances to the National Assembly Complex barricaded. Attempts by stranded journalists to enter were met with resistance from security personnel, who indicated that despite the situation, brief plenary sessions might still be held in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity in Hausa, shared, “Talks are ongoing. The National Security Adviser’s office reports that those responsible for assaulting Ajaero have been apprehended. There’s optimism that this situation may conclude today or tomorrow, but nothing is definite.
“I believe they might convene today, even if briefly. However, it hinges on the government’s ability to persuade the NLC to suspend the strike.”
At the time of this report, only members of PASAN were permitted entry into the National Assembly complex. A senior police officer stationed at the gate emphatically directed anyone approaching to “Go home. Go and meet your family members. We have been instructed not to open this place, and we will not open it.”
