The Nigerian Military (NA) has denied holding leaders of the Organised Labour to ransom throughout an ongoing assembly with the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, in Abuja on Monday night time.
The Military was responding to a viral social media message credited to the Labour organisations that troops had been stationed on the venue of the assembly between the SGF and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Commerce Union Congress (TUC) leaders over the continued indefinite strike motion embarked upon by staff to press dwelling their calls for for a brand new minimal wage and reversal of electrical energy tariff hike.
The message learn: “BREAKING NEWS! Troopers are presently surrounding the venue of the assembly between Labour and Authorities on the premises of the SGF.”
However, taking to its verified social media handles on Monday night time, the Nigerian Military Headquarters mentioned troopers current on the venue of the SGF-Labour assembly had been escorts of the Nationwide Safety Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who was additionally attending the essential assembly, and that the troopers weren’t there for another objective.
“The eye of Military Headquarters has been drawn to a false breaking information by NLC alleging that troopers presently encompass the venue of the continued assembly between NLC and the SGF.
“Kindly word that the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who can be attending the assembly, arrived on the assembly venue together with his retinue of statutorily authorised navy escorts. As soon as the assembly is over, the escorts will lead the NSA from the venue .
“Kindly disregard the deliberate and deceptive falsehood being peddled in regards to the presence of the escorts on the assembly,” the Military Headquarters wrote.