The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced it will begin an industrial strike in Kaduna State on Sunday midnight. The decision came after the National Executive Council of the body met on April 22 to decide on the actions that would lead to a “total shutdown of socio-economic activities in Kaduna State”.

The industrial strike is in response to the the mass sacking by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, which has left over 60 per cent of workers in the state civil and public service without jobs.

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The NLC directed its affiliate unions “to fully mobilize their members in Kaduna State for complete and indefinite withdrawal of services until a counter directive is issued by Congress leadership”.

FIJ confirmed that as of Friday, there was no electricity in Kaduna State. The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) issued a circular “to ensure TOTAL BLACKOUT in Kaduna” starting from Saturday midnight. The circular, which was signed by the General Secretary of NUEE, Joe Ajaero, further read: “Any station or officer whose unit is found wanting, the chapter or state council will be sanctioned for anti union activities.”

The industrial action comes some weeks after the Kaduna State government announced an astronomic hike in the tuition fees of state-owned tertiary institutions. The parents of many of the students were part of the 60 per cent of civil servants that were sacked and would not be able to afford the tuition fees, which were increased from N26,000 to N150,000 and more.

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A journalist in Kaduna told FIJ that the NLC strike has come a bit too late, as el-Rufai has already consolidated his power in the state. The governor has also been battling with issues of insecurity in the state. Two teritary insitutions had their students kidnapped by armed bandits early in March and April.