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Ex NLC President Ayuba Wabba mourns Chiroma
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*Recounts how he fought IBB over SAP, others
By Francesca Hangeior
The Immediate Past President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, Ayuba Wabba, has mourned the demise of former President of NLC, Ali Chiroma, describing him as an epitome of courage and character.
Chiroma died Tuesday in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital, at the age of 91 years.
In a statement, Wabba gave insight into the late Labour veteran’s struggles for a better living conditions for workers and the Nigerian masses, saying “A great Iroko has fallen.”
According to him, “I have just received the news of the demise of the second President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ali Chiroma at the ripe old age of 91. Comrade Ali Chiroma died peacefully in the company of his family and friends bringing an end to about seven decades of service and commitment to the working people of Nigeria and the masses. A Great Iroko has fallen.
“Comrade Ali Chiroma was an epitome of courage and character. He served as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the hey days of military rule. “Comrade Ali Chiroma served tall with gusto and pride despite the heavily mined field of military dictatorship.
“The steel in Comrade Ali Chiroma was most profoundly exemplified in the epoch of the resistance by the NLC and her allies in the labour movement against the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, of the General Ibrahim Babangida administration.
“After one of the major protests against SAP, the military came down hard on the NLC and invaded the national secretariat of the NLC. A number of officers of the Congress were picked up and detained by the military. Comrade Ali Chiroma had travelled out of town.
“When Comrade Ali Chiroma returned from his trip, he quickly drove to the detention centre and announced to the bemused soldiers that he was the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and that he came to know why his comrades were detained.
“He demanded that if the soldiers were not willing to release the detained comrades, they should also take him into custody because he was not leaving without his comrades. Of course, the soldiers grabbed him and shoved him into the cells with his comrades.
“Comrade Ali Chiroma lived a life of pristine principles and unwavering commitment to advancing the welfare of workers and social justice in Nigeria. Comrade Ali Chiroma led from the front and refused to shy away from speaking truth to power.
“Comrade Ali Chiroma made a lot of sacrifices for the progress, unity and solidarity of the labour movement from his mother union, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress where he rose to the pinnacle of his career.
“I am privileged to drink from the fountain of wisdom of a great iroko like Comrade Ali Chiroma. In death, Comrade Ali Chiroma continues to inspire.
“I commiserate with the immediate family of Comrade Ali Chiroma, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other workers’ representative organisations in Africa and around the world on the fall of this Giant and Great Iroko that has fallen.
“Your good works, institutional impact and profound contributions to the task of nation building are your legacy written in gold and etched in the sand dunes of times, forever!”
Wabba added that Chiroma “was two term member of the Governing body of the International Labour Organisation and served on the committee of freedom of Association.
He was a member of SEC 5, 1983 of NIPSS, and a recipient of the national honours of MON.”
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Finally, IGP approves hunger protests across Nigeria
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The Nigerian police has finally approved the planned nationwide protests and outlined conditions for participants.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, revealed this on Friday while addressing journalists in Abuja.
He urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.
The police boss said this was to ensure the protest was peaceful.
Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.
“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”
The police boss said the information expected from the organisers also include measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.
By providing the information, he said, the police will be able to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety.
He said the police needed to know the specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.
Mr Egbetokun said the police will “establish clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; minimise the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity.
“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.
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Reps North-West Caucus Beg Youths, Citizens In The Region Not To Join Planned Protest
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Reps Applaud FCT Minister, Wike On AICL Improved Revenue, Infrastructure
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