A law firm representing the Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) and workers in the Western Metal Products Company Limited (WEMPCO) Group has petitioned the Minister of Labour and Employment over the alleged forceful eviction of 580 employees from their workplaces.

In the petition dated August 17, 2026, counsel to the workers, AC Abope Chambers, alleged that the affected workers were evicted from their workplaces on June 9, 2026, with the involvement of armed police personnel.

The lawyers also expressed concern over the fate of 1,321 workers employed across 14 companies within the WEMPCO Group, whose jobs, they said, were now in jeopardy following actions attributed to the receiver/manager appointed by the court on the application of United Bank for Africa Plc.

The petition was addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment and the receiver/manager, Mr.  Romeo Ese Michael.

The lawyers alleged that the eviction was carried out arbitrarily and under circumstances they claimed violated the fundamental rights of their clients.

They urged the minister to intervene in the dispute, particularly in view of the number of workers affected and the potential implications for industrial relations.

The companies listed in the petition include Western Metal Products Company Limited, Standard Industrial Development Company Limited, NFE Industries Limited, United Rolling Mills Limited, Knight Metal Manufacturing Company Limited, WEMPCO Steel Mills Company Limited, Nigeria Enamelware Company Limited and Universal Nigeria Industries Company Limited.

Others are Omowood Industries Limited, Porcelain Ware Industries Limited, Superior Metal Manufacturing Company Limited, Lagos Oriental Hotel Limited, Prime Nigerian Tiles Company Limited and Prime Nigeria Wood Products Company Limited.

The lawyers argued that the dispute should be resolved within the framework of Nigeria’s labour dispute resolution mechanisms.

They specifically called on the minister to invoke Section 17(b) of the Trade Disputes Act and refer the matter directly to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).

According to them, the number of workers affected and the wider implications of the dispute made a direct referral to the Industrial Court appropriate.

The petition also questioned whether the appointment of a receiver/manager over a company could automatically terminate existing individual employment relationships.

The lawyers contended that the issue required judicial determination under employment law rather than unilateral action.

They also urged the minister to act swiftly, warning of the wider economic and social consequences of potential large-scale job losses.

The petitioners said the WEMPCO Group’s operations provide direct and indirect employment, stressing that prolonged uncertainty over the workers’ jobs could affect industrial relations and the livelihoods of numerous households.

They also linked large-scale unemployment to broader economic and social insecurity, urging the ministry to intervene before the dispute escalates.

The lawyers said their clients were seeking the minister’s intervention pursuant to his statutory responsibilities concerning reported or anticipated industrial disputes.