5th July, 2000

The COIU would like to inform that this morning at the state secretariat, Alausa, the state governor ordered the use of live bullets on a peaceful procession of workers. In the process, a civil servant, Mr Adigun Popoola, who is a driver with the state Ministry of Works, Alausa, Ikeja was shot dead by anti-riot policemen.

We condemn this unprecedented and mindless brutality and bloodletting by a so-called democratically elected government of Governor Bola Tinubu.

The Council of Industrial Unions (COIU) in Lagos State Civil Service strongly condemns the arrest of Comrade Ayodele Akele, the chairman of COIU, by the State Security Service (SSS) apparently acting on behalf of the Lagos State Government.

For almost two weeks, comrade Akele has been leading the peaceful and non-violent strike of the state civil servants, including local government employees, for the payment of N7,500 minimum wage across the board.

The arrest therefore is nothing but a calculated attempt by the Lagos State Government to behead and break the worker’s industrial action at all costs. This arrest and the brutality employed against striking workers are reminiscent of the era of military dictatorship.

The arrest is baseless, unwarranted, illegal and unconstitutional and as such we demand for his immediate and unconditional release.

The COIU would like to state that the Lagos State Government is making a very serious and grievous mistake if it thinks that Akele's arrest is the solution to the on-going strike of the state civil servants. The COIU and the state workers are more than ever determined to fight for our legitimate right until our demand for N7,500 minimum wage across the board is met. The arrest can only prolong the strike action since the COIU and workers will not conduct negotiation with the government without the release and presence of Comrade Ayodele Akele.

The COIU finds very amusing the latest statement credited to the Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, that he is withdrawing his initial offer of N7,500 for grade levels 01-06 and that the state government would now pay N5,500 across the board. This new shift does not portray any serious approach to governance by the state government. The COIU condemns and rejects this new offer in its entirety.

The COIU calls on all state civil servants, including local government employees, nurses, teachers, parastatals workers, and all other categories not to be intimidated by the arrest of Comrade Akele and the brutality of the Lagos State, but to remain determined, steadfast and resolute in our legal and non-violent struggle to earn N7,500 across the board.

The struggle continues.