The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has condemned an alleged harassment of its members by Federal Committee of Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) following the invasion of five shipping companies on Monday, October 18, 2021.
President General of the union, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju in a statement revealed that the committee invaded COSCO Shipping, HULLBLYTH, CMA/CGM, LANSAL and HAPAD LYOD, with heavily armed police and army personnel, where some of its members work.
He said: “On behalf of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, I wish to bring to the general public the sudden and shocking invasion of five shipping companies by agents who claim to be from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) today 18th October 2021.
“We have been informed that the agents from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection escorted by heavily armed police men and army personnel invade the work premises of our members in COSCO Shipping, HULLBLYTH, CMA/CGM, LANSAL and HAPAD LYOD, and proceeded to unleash mayhem on innocent working members of the union”.
The President General disclosed that the workers personal phones were seized without any justification, held them hostage against their will and refused them movement outside their various offices.
He explained further: “While we are not against government agencies doing their work, we believe that laid down procedures should be followed. Our enquiries at the Shippers’ Council, 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.
“Secondly, we do not also believe that any category of workers should be subjected to this inhuman treatment without just cause or prior information”.
Adeyanju asked that the invasion of work places and the keeping its members hostage be immediately discontinued and investigated by appropriate authority for the sake of industrial harmony in the ports.
He noted that should such continue without due process, the union will be forced to withdraw the services of its members.
The reason for the invasion of the five shipping companies by operatives of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council alongside law enforcement agents and military personnel was however not stated.
