Labour Strike: Students Sent Home, Banks Locked

Students in public schools in Osogbo, Osun, were sent home on Tuesday following the nationwide strike declared by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

VerseNews learnt that students from various public primary and secondary schools were seen on the roads and streets, heading back home.

At CAC Grammar School, Gbodofon, Osogbo, the gate was left wide open as students were moving out of the school premises while some teachers were seen gathered under a tree, holding discussions.

Similarly, some banks in Osogbo refused to open their doors to customers, while some were skeptical about opening and few opened for business transactions.

Most offices at the state secretariat in Abere were deserted, with few workers observed going into and moving about within the secretariat.

A staffer of the secretariat, who spoke under anonymity, said the strike has not started taking shape, and that if it was like the previous nationwide strikes, the gates to the secretariat would have been shut with members of the NLC and other labour unions blocking the gates.

Security personnel were seen stationed at the secretariat entrance, likewise at some strategic locations in Osogbo.

Mrs Modupeola Oyedele, Osun State NLC Cartaker Chairperson, however, noted that the strike is in compliance with the directive from the NLC and TUC headquarters.

Oyedele said the instruction to their members was to stay away from work, and that there would not be any form of street protest.

“We are not doing street protest with the strike. The instruction is for workers to abstain from work and we are complying.

“Public schools have sent back their students in compliance with the strike. Many send their student back this morning because the strike directive came late last night, so that is why students were turned back after getting to school.

“We are ensuring that there is compliance as our officials are at the state secretariat to ensure workers do not resume in their offices,” she said

Labour unions on Monday evening directed their members and affiliates to withdraw their services starting from Tuesday (today) – a move the government terms illegal.