Police did not seal the secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at Yaba, Lagos, on Monday as being rumoured, police spokesman in Lagos State, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, has said.
Hundeyin told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, only went to the NLC secretariat to address protesters.
He was reacting to the rumour and giving reasons for heightened security upgrade in hotspots around Lagos on Monday.
Heavily armed police operatives were seen at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota and other parts of Lagos on Monday, in readiness for a planned protest by organised labour.
The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had scheduled a nationwide strike for Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 to protest what they called hardship currently being faced by Nigerians.
They charged that the hardship was inflicted on Nigerians following hike in prices of goods and services consequent upon the removal of fuel subsidy and the free fall of the naira.
The TUC, however, pulled out of the scheduled protest on Saturday.
Hundeyin told NAN that the police proactively arrived at the NLC secretariat and at other hotspots to ensure adequate security for planners of the strike and to prevent their procession from being hijacked by hoodlums.
“The Commissioner of Police, Mr Fayoade addressed the protesters before the procession took off in his presence.
“The procession was peaceful and without any untoward incident,’’ Hundeyin said, adding that Mr Fayoade personally monitored the security operation and the protest.
He stated that the protesters neither caused traffic obstruction nor got involved in violent activities.
He explained that the procession moved from Yaba area to Maryland, stressing that the police were with the protesters all the way.
“The protesters played their part well and did not obstruct traffic.
“The police provided adequate security and ensured the procession was not hijacked. Everything went fine.
“All the protesters have since dispersed. It has been a good day,’’ Hundeyin stressed.
