The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and their affiliates have been barred from engaging in any form of strike or industrial action by the National Industrial Court on Friday.
The two labor unions were instructed to call off their planned nationwide strike on November 14.
The restraining order was issued by the Court’s President, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip, in response to an ex-parte application brought before the Court by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice.
To issue the restraining order against organized labor, Justice Kanyip utilized sections 17 and 19 of the National Industrial Court Act.
The Federal Government and the AGF had asked the court to halt the scheduled strike through their lawyer, Tijani Gazali, in an ex-parte plea.
They claimed that this was done to prevent untold burdens from being imposed on law-abiding persons and businesses.
While arguing the ex-parte application, Gazali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Director of Civil Appeals in the Federal Ministry of Justice, drew Justice Kanyip’s attention to a series of hardships experienced by Nigerians on Thursday alone, when labor unions blocked entrances to the country’s main airports.
He appealed that unless the scheduled strike is called off, there is a risk of a violation of the country’s peace.
The Judge, who was persuaded by the government’s arguments, stated that the court has the authority to interfere through a restraining order to ensure peace and serenity.
He then granted all of the federal government’s requests as outlined in the motion paper.
Furthermore, Justice Kanyip ordered that the restraining order be posted on the wall of the building at the two defendants’ last known residence to attract their attention to the Court’s stance.
The Judge also ordered that the order, as well as the originating and other processes, be published in two major national daily.
Meanwhile, the case has been shifted to Justice Olufunke Anuwe, who is reported to handle similar labor conflict cases.