The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Delta State Government a two-week ultimatum to end the alleged harassment and persecution of members of the Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria (MOUN), warning that failure to address the matter could threaten industrial harmony in the state.
The labour centre made the demand in a letter dated October 28, 2026, addressed to Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and jointly signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero; General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja; and Treasurer, Aliyu Haruna Kankara.
In the letter titled, “Request for Immediate Intervention and Justice Over the Unconstitutional Ban on the Operations of MOUN by Delta State Government,” the NLC accused some high-ranking officials of the state government of allegedly interfering in the affairs of a registered trade union and undermining workers' constitutional rights.
The Congress recalled that it had previously written to the governor on September 30, 2025, and January 20, 2026, seeking an amicable resolution of the dispute through social dialogue.
However, it lamented that despite its interventions and efforts to resolve the matter, the situation had deteriorated, alleging that MOUN had recently been purportedly banned through a directive issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The NLC further alleged that members of the union had been subjected to harassment, intimidation and detention on the orders of the SSG.
According to the labour centre, the alleged actions were motivated by the SSG's interest in and support for the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association (COMTOA), which it described as a non-trade union organisation.
The Congress maintained that the Delta State Government, through the office of the SSG, was violating the Nigerian Constitution, which recognises the rights of workers to organise and be represented by legally registered trade unions.
It also disclosed that the SSG, allegedly acting through proxies, had maintained that MOUN was an illegal union involved in diverting government revenue through the sale of unauthorised tickets to motorcycle operators, with claims that its activities posed a threat to public peace.
The NLC noted that the union and some of its members had also been prosecuted in various courts in Delta State over the dispute.
Rejecting the allegations against MOUN, the Congress insisted that the union was duly registered and affiliated with the NLC, stressing that it was the legally recognised body empowered to organise motorcycle operators and collect union dues in accordance with Section 12 of the Trade Unions Act.
It argued that COMTOA had no legal standing under Nigerian labour law to assume the responsibilities of a registered trade union, describing the association as an "alien body and a meddlesome interloper."
The labour centre expressed surprise that such an organisation was allegedly receiving the support of senior officials of the Delta State Government, warning that the situation could trigger an industrial crisis if not urgently addressed.
Consequently, the NLC called on Oborevwori to rein in officials whose alleged actions were creating tension and portraying his administration in a negative light.
The Congress said it had exercised considerable patience for more than three years in seeking a resolution of the dispute but was now constrained to issue a final two-week ultimatum to the state government.
It demanded an immediate end to what it described as the harassment of MOUN and motorcycle operators organised under the union.
The NLC warned that failure by the Delta State Government to meet its demand within the stipulated period could make it difficult for the Congress to guarantee industrial harmony in the state.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the State Security Service, Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Delta State, President of MOUN, Chairperson of the NLC Delta State Council, and Comrade Julius Bobi, Deputy National President of MOUN.
The Congress urged the governor to intervene decisively and ensure that the dispute was resolved in accordance with the country's labour laws, while reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights and interests of Nigerian workers.
