Peace Returns To Isoko South After ALGON Boss Thugs Attack NULGE Chairman

Comrade Umuwe is currently battling for life at a teaching hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State as a result of broken ribs and multiple injuries inflicted on him by the suspected political thugs. According to sources the thugs invaded the council few minutes after the council boss, Mr. Ogieh allegedly threatened to ‘deal’ with the NULGE boss for purportedly announced a work-to-rule action, a week to the Christmas celebration.

The workers, had after an emergency meeting to press home their demands, carried out a sensitization campaign in the council after which they issued a seven days ultimatum for their demands to be met.

In a communiqué issued and signed by the NULGE boss, Comrade Umuwe Josiah and its secretary Comrade Obiebi Frank at the end of their congress, the union had demanded that Christmas package to staff should be provided, Seminar/Workshops should be approved for staff to be accompanied with the financial benefits; transport allowance on promotion interviews should be paid while management should stop giving unwarranted query letters to staffs.

Followed by the subsequent sensitization by the worker’s union which did not go down well with the council chairman, it was learnt, he (Council boss) accompanied by the secretary to the local council, Mr. Sammy Edegbo allegedly confronted the NULGE chairman and ordered him to leave the council premise, failure to which he would be embarrassed and disgrace before the entire workers.

Our reporter however gathered that shortly after the council boss’s threat some ‘boys’ identified as his alleged political thugs later invaded the council with dangerous weapons, which they used freely on the NULGE chairman merciless and a driver in the council who tried to rescue him.

The thugs it was gathered left the council unchallenged after inflicted injuries on several staff who tried to intervene on the matter. The incident however caused panic in the council secretariats as staff for fear of been attacked by the irate thugs fled.  

When contacted however on phone, the council chairman bluffly denied the incident saying, “you can go ahead and write whatever you feel is the truth”. Adding that his own side of the story has been aired by the state owned Delta Broadcasting Service and has no further comment to make.

Meanwhile, the council secretariat, which was closed down indefinitely by workers, was reopened for work following the intervention of the state government. 

In a peace and reconciliation meeting at the instance of the Commissioner of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Mr. Pat Mozea and attended by the council boss, Mr. Askia Ogieh and others, the workers were assured to go about their normal duties without any fear of molestation.

Sources in meeting, which lasted for several hours, disclosed that the council boss was told to tender an unreserved apology that he immediately did and promised to accede to all the union’s demands as well as to foot the hospital bills of the NULGE boss and all others who sustained injuries.

However as at the time of filing in this report, the NULGE boss was still receiving treatment at the Ibadan hospital.