The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) crisis in Edo State deepened on Thursday after police operatives sealed off the union’s state secretariat, popularly known as the Adams Oshiomhole Labour House, in Benin City.
The security clampdown came just hours after the NLC national leadership inaugurated a Caretaker Committee headed by Prof. Monday Igbafen, despite a resolution by the Edo State House of Assembly urging the union to suspend the move.
Background to the Crisis
The crisis has been brewing for months following allegations of mismanagement and irregularities in the state chapter’s leadership. In response, the national body of the NLC dissolved the existing State Executive Council, citing “loss of confidence” and the need to restore credibility.
In its place, the union installed a Caretaker Committee chaired by Prof. Igbafen, a respected academic and labour activist, with a mandate to steer the chapter until fresh elections are conducted.
However, members loyal to the dissolved executive resisted the decision, appealing to the Edo Assembly for intervention. The lawmakers subsequently passed a resolution asking the NLC to suspend the inauguration, a request the national body ignored.
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Tensions escalated on Thursday when armed police operatives sealed off the Adams Oshiomhole Labour House to prevent the scheduled swearing-in of the new committee. Reports indicate that the University of Benin and other nearby institutions were caught in the security disruption.
Despite the blockade, the inauguration went ahead at an alternative venue, where Prof. Igbafen officially assumed his role as caretaker chairman.
Growing Division
The sealing of the secretariat has deepened divisions within the Edo labour movement, with fears that the crisis could further polarize the union and affect industrial peace in the state.
Some labour leaders from neighbouring states who travelled to attend the inauguration expressed regret at being barred from the secretariat.
Comrade Augustine Igben of the Maritime Workers Union described the situation as embarrassing.
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“I felt embarrassed about the whole thing. How can the police barricade the Labour House when there is no war? This is a labour issue; they should allow labour to settle it themselves. I was not allowed entry. There were lots of security, and I even saw some civilians mixed up with them.”
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
