There was drama and confusion in Benin City on Thursday as security operatives stormed the secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Edo State chapter, in a failed attempt to stop the inauguration of a caretaker committee for the state council.
The action followed a resolution passed by the Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, which directed the national leadership of the NLC to suspend plans to inaugurate the caretaker team.
The state lawmakers argued that the move amounted to an imposition on the existing labour leadership in the state and warned that it could lead to unrest within the organised labour community.
Despite this warning, the national body of the NLC went ahead with its plans and inaugurated the caretaker committee, headed by Professor Monday Igbafen, a lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and also the coordinator of the Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
By 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, security agents had taken over the NLC secretariat in Benin City, apparently to enforce the Assembly’s resolution and prevent any gathering.
But in a smart move, a delegation from the national NLC leadership, led by Comrade Oluwole Adeleye Sunday, relocated to an alternative venue inside the Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), where the ASUU secretariat is located.
However, due to concerns that the new venue had been compromised, the organisers made another last-minute switch. The inauguration eventually took place at a third, undisclosed location within the city.
During the brief ceremony, Comrade Oluwole charged the newly inaugurated committee to bring stability to the Edo NLC and prepare the ground for the election of new state executives.
He said: “This committee must work to restore unity and ensure a peaceful election process that brings everyone on board. Your task is not to divide but to rebuild.”
In his remarks, Professor Igbafen assured all stakeholders that the caretaker committee would work to reconcile warring factions and reposition the NLC in the state.
He said: “Our job is to heal wounds and ensure Edo workers are united under one strong NLC. We will consult widely, be fair to all, and ensure transparency in all our activities.”
Meanwhile, the University of Benin has issued a strong warning against the use of its facilities for political or union-related events without official approval.
In a statement signed by the university’s spokesperson, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, UNIBEN distanced itself from the caretaker committee’s inauguration.
The statement read: “The management of the University of Benin does not permit the use of its premises for political, union meetings, rallies, or related events without prior approval. All officials overseeing university facilities have been instructed to reject any such request.”
The university also advised student and staff unions to avoid hosting or participating in unapproved gatherings on any of its two campuses.
The crisis in the Edo NLC has been building for months, with reports of internal disagreements and allegations of mismanagement under the Comrade Bernard Joman Egwakhide-led executive, which the state House of Assembly continues to recognise as the legitimate leadership.
The Assembly maintains that any change in leadership should come through internal processes and not by external imposition from the national body.
Thursday’s inauguration, despite heavy police presence and political opposition, may further deepen the tension between the state chapter and the national NLC leadership.
