Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has warned that it could withdraw its services at the seaports following the harassment of its members which occured at five shipping companies by agents alleged to be from the Federal Committee on Competition and Consumer Protection.
The union made this position known in a press statement signed by its President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju yesterday.
According to the group, officers who claimed to be from the Competition and Consumer Protection had invaded the work premises of some shipping companies yesterday, escorted by heavily armed Policemen, Navy and Army personnel.
The shipping companies visited were; COSCO Shipping, HULLBLYTH, CMA/CGM, LANSAL and HAPAD LYOD and the combined security team proceeded to unleash mayhem on innocent working members of the union at their workplace.
“They seized their personal phones without any justification and held them hostage against their will and refused them movement outside their various. offices.”
“While we are not against Federal Government agencies doing their work, we believe that laid down procedures should be followed. Our enquiries at Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) which is the regulating agency for all shipping companies indicate that they were not informed nor aware of this invasion of our members work places. Also, we do not also believe that any category of workers should be subjected to this inhuman treatment without just cause or prior information,” the MWUN statement posited.
The Union demanded that the invasion of its members workplaces, intimidation and harassment of members and keeping them hostage be immediately discontinued and investigated by appropriate authorities for the sake of industrial harmony in the ports.
“Note that, should this kind of invasion of our work places continue without due process, the Union will be forced to withdraw the services of its members,” the group warned.
