At least three staff members of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Kwara State were hospitalised yesterday following a violent disruption of activities at the agency’s headquarters in Ilorin.
The incident allegedly involved members of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE), reports Daily Trust.
The protest, which reportedly paralysed activities within the authority, was said to have been staged over allegations of high-handedness and poor workers’ welfare under the current management.
Sources within the authority said some protesting union members allegedly attacked workers during the disturbance, inflicting varying degrees of injuries on staff members.
The situation, it was gathered, forced the management to alert the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the deteriorating security situation.
Speaking with journalists after the incident, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Engr. Olushola George Olumoroti, described the development as a violent attack rather than a peaceful protest.
“Three staff members of the authority were hospitalised after allegedly being severely beaten by the protesting workers,” Olumoroti said, presenting a video recording of the incident.
According to him, the unrest was linked to disciplinary proceedings involving NUAAE state chairman, Mr. Mudi Olayinka Raji.
He alleged that Raji, who is a former Ilorin Area Manager, instigated workers to barricade the entrance of the agency and disrupt official activities.
The managing director explained that upon assuming office in April 2025, the management reviewed disciplinary reports and financial records inherited from previous administrations in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He alleged that earlier disciplinary panels investigated claims bordering on diversion of government revenue, unretired IOUs and unauthorised financial transactions allegedly involving the union leader and his wife, who is not a staff member of the authority.
Olumoroti said the disciplinary committees found the officer and four others culpable and recommended sanctions ranging from refund of unaccounted funds and warning letters to dismissal over alleged gross misconduct and corrupt practices.
According to him, the recommendations were subsequently reviewed and upheld by another committee as well as the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, which included representatives of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
He stated that the affected officers were denied promotion in line with public service regulations pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings.
The managing director, however, disclosed that he personally appealed to the Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Utsev, to temper justice with mercy by reducing the recommended dismissal to lesser sanctions.
He said the minister approved the appeal and directed the NUAAE chairman to refund unaccounted funds, accept a warning letter and submit an undertaking of good conduct.
Olumoroti added, “While other affected officers reportedly complied with the directive and returned to duty, the union leader allegedly rejected the clemency and petitioned the minister, claiming that documentary evidence used against him had been forged.
The allegation, according to him, prompted the minister to order a fresh investigation through a special disciplinary committee.
Olumoroti alleged that Monday’s disruption was aimed at frustrating the work of the investigative panel and undermining ongoing reforms within the authority.
“This is a case of corruption fighting back. We are introducing reforms, accountability and discipline into the system and some people are resisting change,” he said.
He further alleged that some workers invaded the premises with weapons, assaulted staff members and breached security within the agency, adding that another union resisted the disruption and insisted its members were at work and not part of the protest.
The managing director maintained that the authority would not tolerate violence, intimidation or acts capable of undermining public service rules and due process within the establishment.
But the Kwara State Chairman of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE), Mudi Olayinka Raji, denied the allegations levelled against him by the management of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, insisting that he and other affected staff were victims of victimisation and intimidation.
Speaking with our correspondent yesterday, Raji alleged that the management, in collaboration with former officials of the authority, deliberately frustrated the promotion of some staff members because of their insistence on accountability within the agency.
He also dismissed allegations of financial misconduct and denied claims linking his wife to unauthorised financial transactions within the authority.
“They were the ones that forged my signature to rope me and my wife. My wife is not a staff; how will any officer pay her any money and for what?” he queried.
Raji further claimed that the protest action was carried out under the directive of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), adding that the workers were peacefully demonstrating before violence broke out.
“The NLC led the move to picket the place following a directive from the national body and while we were outside singing and dancing with other unions, the MD sent some of his supporters to attack us,” he alleged.
According to him, the confrontation escalated after some individuals allegedly attacked the protesters with dangerous weapons.
“They started by breaking one of the keys with a cutlass before another one came to attack us and we had to respond. Nobody went inside to meet them,” he said.
Raji denied responsibility for the injuries reportedly sustained by staff members during the incident, insisting that those affected were not attacked by union members.
“The three affected staff got themselves injured and one of them even ran away. We are not behind any of their injuries. What happened was as a result of victimisation, intimidation and oppression,” he added.
