A coalition of civil society and labour groups has expressed dismay at the shrinking civic space in the country and cautioned that the alleged hiring of thugs by the Kaduna State government to attack workers at a rally organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is further proof that the nation has slid into full blown dictatorship.
The coalition condemned the utterances of Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, on the labour impasse in the state, saying they were insensitive and unbecoming of a state executive.
The coalition described the governorâs pronouncement that the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba is wanted for economic sabotage, as âexecutive rascality gone too far.â
The groups expressed these views at a meeting convened by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) in Lagos to x-ray the state of the nation and the on-going NLC strike in Kaduna state.
In response to the Kaduna labour crisis, the coalition said: âWe are disturbed by the show of shame and recklessness of the Kaduna State governor, and the state governmentâs response to the just action of workers following the allegation of mass sack  amidst poor work living conditions of the ordinary people under the El-Rufai administration.
âThe purported declaration of the National President of NLC wanted is unacceptable, condemnable, and illegal. Governor El-Rufai must be called out and called to order because Nigeria is a nation governed by the rule of law. His emperor-style of leadership and the alleged engaging of thugs is even more condemnable because rather than create meaningful employment for the youths, he is conscripting them into armies to intimidate peaceful protesters.â
The coalition continued, âWhat happened in Kaduna is reminiscent of the state-sponsored attacks on peaceful #EndSARS protesters across the federation and particularly in Lagos where men of the Nigerian Army under instruction from powers from above shot at peaceful youths on October 20, 2020. Unfortunately, forceful repression of Nigerians has become a pattern by a ruling elite determined to crush any semblance of opposition in their quest to protect their selfish interest and that of a feudal and capitalist few.â
The statement said, âWe totally align with the struggles of workers of Kaduna State, the NLC and the wider labour movement in their fight for the rights of workers and the downtrodden until victory, and demand the reinstatement of staff unlawfully sacked by the state government since El-Rufaiâs government and jettisoning of plans to sack more workers, halt the victimization of workers in the state for simply exercising their constitutional rights or any stigmatization of those that participated in the strike by the State government and call for a conducive environment for workers to thrive and be productive.
In conclusion it advised El-Rufail to focus more energy on the security issues that have made life a nightmare for ordinary citizens of the state. The statement was signed by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA),  Joint Action Front (JAF), Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-Hope) and Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI). Others are Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
