Workers of Nsukka Local Government, Anambra State were on Thursday allegedly chased out from the council secretariat by suspected thugs to prevent them from engaging in further protest against the council Chairman, Mr Charles Ugwu.
An eye-witness said on Thursday in Nsukka that the thugs were up to 30 in number.
He said that the boys stormed the secretariat around 10.30 a.m. assaulted and ordered the workers and visitors to leave.
“They chased away people including myself out from the secretariat; only NYSC members in uniform were spared.
“When we asked one of them the reason why they are chasing workers away, he replied, you workers feel you can use protests to blackmail the council chairman.
“They pounced on one man who was making phone call, I do not know if they felt he was calling the police,” he said.
Ezema claimed that the mission of the thugs was to prevent the workers from carrying out a planned protest to demand for payment of their eight months salary arrears the council owes them.
“We wanted to continue the protest we started on Tuesday asking the chairman to pay us eight months arrears of salaries he is owing workers, “he said.
Mr George Ngwu, the chairman, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Nsukka LGA, who confirmed the incident, said that several members of the union had called to inform him that thugs were being used to harass workers.
“Some of my members have called me that some thugs are chasing workers out of the council secretariat.
“After the protest we carried out on Tuesday, I have been hiding as the same thugs have been searching for me either to kill or kidnap me, ” he said.
Ngwu said he had already reported the threat to his life to Enugu state police and NULGE office.
“I have been receiving series of calls threaten me and asking me where I am.
“The callers said I am the person that told workers to protest non payment of eight months arrears of salaries owed them,” he said.
When contacted, Mr Monday Kuryasi, Nsukka Area Commander of the Police, confirmed the incident.
He said that he received calls from people that some hoodlums were harassing Nsukka council workers and immediately dispatched police patrol team to the secretariat.
“I have sent my men to Nsukka council secretariat to prevent any breach of public peace, ‘he said.
The chairman of Nsukka LGA, Mr Charles Ugwu said that he was not aware of thugs harassing workers of the council.
“I am not aware of this development as I did not send anybody to harass workers of the council’ they have the right to protest, “he said
As the time of filling this story, one of Nsukka police patrol vans was still stationed at the gate of the secretariat.
