The Nigerian Army has reacted to the claim by organised labour that soldiers have surrounded the venue of the ongoing negotiation meeting on the new minimum wage for workers.
The leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are currently meeting with the federal government representatives at the office of George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).
Shortly after the meeting commenced, the NLC posted on its X handle that soldiers were surrounding the venue of the negotiation.
“BREAKING NEWS! Soldiers are Presently surrounding the venue of the meeting between Labour and Government at the premises of the SGF,” the NLC wrote on X.
‘THEY ARE RIBADU’S ESCORTS’
However, in a reaction, the Nigerian Army said the soldiers at the meeting venue are “statutorily approved military escorts” of Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser NSA).
The army said the soldiers would escort Ribadu to leave the venue at the end of the meeting.
The statement clarified that once the meeting concludes, the NSA and his escorts will depart from the venue.
The statement read, “The attention of Army Headquarters has been drawn to a false breaking news by NLC alleging that soldiers currently surround the venue of the ongoing meeting between NLC and the SGF.
“Kindly note that the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is also attending the meeting, arrived at the meeting venue with his retinue of statutorily approved military escorts. Once the meeting is over, the escorts will lead the NSA from the venue .
“Kindly disregard the deliberate and misleading falsehood being peddled about the presence of the escorts at the meeting.”
