The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State yesterday raised the alarm over what it described as the repeated arrest and harassment of local government workers, warning that organised labour would not hesitate to act if the situation persists.
The state NLC Chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, alleged that security operatives had apprehended some council employees shortly after workers returned to duty following nearly 11 months of industrial action.
Although the Osun State Police Command neither confirmed nor denied the arrests, sources within the All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed that between two and three workers were picked up at different council secretariats while allegedly attempting to cart away official documents.
The reported incidents were said to have occurred at the Boluwaduro Local Government headquarters in Otan Ayegbaju and the Egbedore Local Government Secretariat in Awo. Images and video clips showing detained workers and documents allegedly recovered from them circulated widely on social media.
Speaking at the 2026 annual prayer programme organised by the state government at the Abere Government Secretariat, Arapasopo condemned the development, describing it as provocative and unacceptable.
He accused the police of being deployed for partisan purposes and demanded the immediate release of the affected workers.
According to him, labour would resist any attempt to intimidate its members, insisting that the alleged arrests were aimed at destabilising the state.
He warned that the congress would respond lawfully if the situation was not reversed, stressing that workers would not be cowed by threats or intimidation.
The NLC leader also accused the APC of plotting to plunge Osun into crisis, vowing that labour would stand with the state government and protect its members across all local government areas.
Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the command had no official report of any arrest of local government staff.
He maintained that council secretariats are public facilities and that the police would only intervene where there was a breach of peace.
Ojelabi said security operatives were under strict instruction to prevent disorder at council premises, adding that no individual or political party would be allowed to foment trouble.
He also denied claims that the police escorted or smuggled anyone into local government offices.
Local government workers resumed work on Monday following a directive from the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), bringing to an end a strike that began on February 17, 2025.
The industrial action was triggered by a prolonged power struggle between chairmen elected on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APC in the October 15, 2022, council polls.
There was heavy security presence at several council secretariats, with access subjected to checks amid reports of attempted removal of documents in some areas.
The Osun APC Director of Media, Kola Olabisi, speaking for the party chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, blamed the crisis on what he described as excessive resort to court orders, which he said had paralysed local government administration and stalled development.
On his part, the Chairman of the Osun PDP Association of Local Governments, Sarafa Awotunde, accused the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of failing to remain neutral.
He alleged that security agencies allowed APC chairmen access to council offices against earlier agreements.
Dismissing the allegation, the police reiterated their commitment to neutrality and peace, insisting that anyone found attempting to disrupt activities at council secretariats would face the law.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Osun APC ALGON, Samuel Idowu, said the resumption of work across most local governments was peaceful, noting that many workers returned without incident and interacted freely with council officials.