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In a bid to stop the planned nationwide strike, the National Industrial Court has restrained the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) from the planned industrial action billed to commence in 24 hours.
In a ruling Tuesday, the NIC President, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, restrained labour unions from going on strike pending the determination of a suit the federal government lodged before it.
Justice Adejumo also ordered all parties to the dispute to maintain status quo until the legal dispute is settled
The order was consequent upon an ex-parte application brought before it by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN.
Malami pleaded with the court to restrain the labour unions from “shutting down the nation in the national interest”. He contended that no amount of damages could serve as compensation should the labour unions be allowed to shut down the economy.
The AGF prayed the court to determine “whether the respondents (NLC, Trade Union Congress) have complied with the laid down condition precedent for embarking on strike”.
He also asked the court to determine “whether indeed there exist in law and in fact the basis of which the respondents’ total closure of the economy can be justified”
He said the respondents threatened to shut down the country if government failed to reverse the fuel price pricer hike through a communique it issued on Saturday after its meeting and further threatened to shut all government offices, airports, seaports and markets.
Malami told the court that the ordinary Nigerian citizens would be subjected to untold hardship if the respondents were allowed to go ahead with their threat noting that ïrreparable damage” would be done against the nation and law abiding citizens should the court refuse the ex-parte motion.
The NLC and TUC were represented in court. The ex-parte order elapses within seven days.