A peaceful demonstration demanding the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for Area Council workers took a violent turn on Thursday, as Dr. Stephen Adalooh Knabayi, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council, narrowly escaped being assaulted by angry protesters.
Knabayi, who led the procession to the Federal Capital Territory Minister’s office, was among a select group of labour representatives allowed inside for a closed-door negotiation with government officials.
However, the decision to engage in talks without the protesters present sparked outrage among the demonstrators, who had insisted on a face-to-face session with the Minister.
As he emerged from the meeting to address the crowd, tensions quickly boiled over. Protesters, accusing Knabayi of selling out their cause, began shouting insults and threw objects at him.
The situation intensified, prompting other labour leaders to step in and swiftly escort him away from the scene.
“The mood turned instantly. They felt betrayed,” said one witness. “Some believed he had compromised the fight.”
Earlier in the day, demonstrators bearing placards had marched from Labour House in the Central Area to the Minister’s office in Area 11. Throughout the march, they chanted anti-government slogans and demanded immediate action on wage implementation.
The protest atmosphere grew more tense when police officers locked the gates of the Minister’s office, barring the crowd from entering. Labour leaders stood their ground, vowing to paralyze operations at the premises until the Minister addressed them directly.
Efforts by Mandate Secretary Lawrence Garki to calm the crowd were unsuccessful. He was met with chants of “thief, thief” and turned away before he could speak.
In addition to their wage demands, the protesters are calling for the resignation or dismissal of the six Area Council Chairmen, accusing them of neglecting the plight of the workers
