On a quiet morning in Osun State, the offices of local government secretariats stood eerily empty. Desks collected dust. Chairs sat vacant. The usual hum of bureaucracy had been replaced by a heavy, uneasy silence. Outside, political tension brewed. Inside, the workers were gone — not because they wanted to be, but because their safety was no longer guaranteed.
For weeks now, the state has been gripped by political turmoil surrounding local government elections, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has taken a bold stand. Citing serious security concerns, the NLC directed local government workers across the state to stay home and steer clear of their offices.
“Our members’ safety is non-negotiable,” said Christopher A. Arapasopo, the state chairman of the NLC said in a press release on Monday. “We will not allow them to work in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.”
