A team of joint security personnel in Enugu State marred the picketing of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) by the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents that monitored the situation in Enugu on Monday reported that the security team blocked the various entrances to the company.

NAN observed that the team, comprising the police, army and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) prevented members of the NLC from picketing the office over the increase in electricity tariff.

The agency reports that some of the workers left the EEDC premises as they sighted the security operatives for fear of being manhandled.

The Chairman of the state branch of the NLC, Mr Viginus Nwobodo, expressed dismay that the protest was not successful in Enugu state due to the presence of security operatives at EEDC entrances.

Nwobodo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that most members who ought to have joined in picketing the headquarters of the EEDC in the state ran away on sighting the presence of heavily armed security men.

“The protest ordered by our national leadership was not successful in Enugu as many of our members did not join us in the exercise.

“They were so afraid of the presence of the heavily armed soldiers and other security men at the headquarters of the EEDC,” he said.
Nwobodo said that the state chapter of the NLC would wait for further directives from their national leadership to determine their next line of action.

Also, the State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Igbokwe Chukwuma, said that the labour action was to register their displeasure over the 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff.

Chukwuma said that the increase was unacceptable, more so, when there was a subsisting court order for the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to step down on the implementation.

“We are always civil in our actions and did not confront anybody. We will evaluate what we have done and determine the next action,” Chukwuma said.

Meanwhile, the Principal Manager, Public Relations of the EEDC, Mr Eugene Aniowo, said that there were no issues arising from the protest at the headquarters of the organisation.

“Some people came here today to protest. We shall soon issue a statement on the tariff increase as it affects our customers,” Aniowo said. (NAN)