A group of thugs on Tuesday in Yenagoa, Baylesa State attacked a peaceful protest carried out by members of National Union of Local Government Employees and Medical and Health Workers Union.
The thugs manhandled the protesting workers and journalists who were there to cover the protest.
In a statement issued after the protest, the joint council of NULGE and MHWUN said the protest was in line with the struggle to improve the welfare of members in the state.
The statement was signed by Tonye Jaja for NULGE and Arafat Nwibani of MHWUN.
It said: “We are demanding that the affected four chairmen of councils and commissioner for local government should immediately pay the bailout funds to workers of the affected council to avoid unpleasant consequences and sustain the peaceful industrial atmosphere in the system.
“JSEC unequivocally demands for the full payment of the salary of March; we demand the release of LGAs allocations to the councils immediately.”
Journalists were beaten black and blue by the thugs, with some sustaining injuries and losing their valuables, including cash and gadgets.
One of the victims, John Odhe, a reporter with the state-owned newspaper, Newwavem, said his experience was horrible.
“It was like a movie as the thugs descended on us and started manhandling us with planks and stones; I managed to escape for fear of my life,” Odhe said.
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