Islamic human rights organization, the  Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has protested against the strike declared by organised Labour over demand for wage increase in the country. The body said the strike which is commencing this Monday morning was deliberately targeted against Muslims and to frustrate them from enjoying this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festivals begining in a few days.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government and the organised Labour led by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, have been negotiating the minimum wage wage government offering N60,000 which is a hundred percent increase from the existing figure while Labour is insisting on N460,000 monthly.

As part of efforts to reach amicable settlement, the national assembly leadership met on Sunday might with NLC and TUC presidents and other executive members in Abuja. However, the Labour bodies insisted the proposed strike must go ahead while they go back to consult affiliates organs before final decision would be reached.

But reacting to the strike, MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said Labour was impatient, insensitive and biased by not considering the implications the strike would have on Muslims who are waiting to commence Sallah festivities on June 16, a few days ago.

The Executive Director of MURIC said the NLC President in particular, was doing the bidding of the Labour Party which he said had anti- Muslim agenda and demanded the postponement of the strike, as according to him it amounted to insult on Islam.

Read his statement in full:

“The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) is set to begin its industrial action today Monday, 3rd June, 2024. But there is no scintilla of doubt that the strike will make life unbearable for Muslims preparing for Id al-kabiir (Salah) which is just a few days away.

“As expected, the workers unions of other service providing sectors like petroleum and electricity have offered to join (https://www.thecable.ng/oil-electricity-workers-to-join-planned-labour-strike/). This means the lives of Nigerians are likely to be thrown into a state of higgledy-piggledy in the next few days.

“But what does NLC think will happen to Muslims whose festival of Id al-kabiir is already knocking on the door? Transport fare to and fro their various destinations will skyrocket. Movements will be so adversely affected that the whole Salah period will become a horrendous experience. Is that what NLC wants?

“The notice of strike was too short. It was given from the negotiation table and it was 48 hours or less. The approach of the current crop of NLC leaders is aggressive, arrogant, fascist and partisan. The body language is unmistakable. It is directed at bringing government down. This NLC has no respect for the rule of law, not even an iota of decorum for democratic practices.

“If we cannot speak for government, what about Nigerian Muslims whose lives your strike could turn into sheer nightmare? Is this a deliberate attempt to make life uncomfortable for Muslims? Will NLC declare strike one week to Christmas? Or is this about bringing down our Muslim-Muslim ticket? Is this part of the ‘religious war’ of ‘Yes Daddy’?

“Are Muslim workers not part of your union? If we are, shouldn’t NLC consider our interest, particularly our fast-approaching festival before embarking on a strike? What happened to strategic planning? What happened to timing and logistics? What happened to psychological preparation of people’s minds?

“By the way, every civilized group checks the calendar when planning an event and every calendar shows festivals of the year, is there no calendar on the walls of NLC office or was it deliberately ignored because NLC leadership is more interested in inflicting pains on Nigerian Muslims?

“Who did NLC leadership consult before declaring strike and what did they advice? Are there no Muslims among members of NLC executive? Are there no Muslims among NLC’s advisers or are they all ‘Yes Daddy’? If there are, are they conscious Muslims or just Muslims by name? Are they not aware that Salah is next week?

“This strike is ill-timed. It is a recipe for a topsy-turvy Salah. We advise NLC to postpone it till after the Salah. If NLC rejects our advice and goes ahead with its satanic strike, we will ask all Muslim workers who know that they will meet Allah yaom al-Qiyaamah (The Last Day) not to cooperate with NLC. They should reject the strike because it is an assault on the religion of Islam.

“We call on all Muslim leaders and Islamic organisations in Nigeria to speak up now before it is too late. We must reject the tyranny of Muslim-haters thinly veiled in unionism. We say ‘No To Strike in Salah.”