BREAKING: Defence HQ clarifies presence of Army at SGF’s residence

The Nigerian defence headquarters has made clarifications on the presence of army at the venue of the meeting between organised labour and the federal government at the premises of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports SGF George Akume had called for an urgent meeting on Monday with the leaders of the organised labor in response to the ongoing nationwide strike ahead of Tuesday’s meeting called by the Federal Government’s National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

Shortly after the meeting commenced, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) raised an alarm that military men had surrounded the venue of the meeting with the federal government over minimum wage negotiations.

“Soldiers are presently surrounding the venue of the meeting between Labour and Government at the premises of the SGF. Any attempt to intimidate, provoke or blackmail our leaders at the negotiation table, would be resisted and strike action would further be prolonged.

“Any attempt to intimidate, provoke or blackmail our leaders at the negotiation table would worsen the issue and further prolong our action indefinitely. Our leaders are acting in accordance with directives of our organs,” NLC posted via its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

However, in a swift response, the defence headquarters said that the soldiers currently surrounding the venue of the ongoing meeting between NLC and the SGF, accompanied the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is also attending the meeting.

“The attention of Army Headquarters has been drawn to a false breaking news by NLC alleging that soldiers currently surround the venue of the ongoing meeting between NLC and the SGF.

“Kindly note that the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is also attending the meeting, arrived at the meeting venue with his retinue of statutorily approved military escorts. Once the meeting is over, the escorts will lead the NSA from the venue.

“Kindly disregard the deliberate and misleading falsehood being peddled about the presence of the escorts at the meeting,” the Army stated via Facebook.