National Human Rights Commission has obtained a court order stopping its staff and union members from going on a strike.
The union had threatened to begin industrial action on July 16 over issues surrounding the payment of arrears arising from the new national minimum wage and their investigations allowances.
But the NHRC in a motion ex parte with suit number NICN/ABJ/159/2020, prayed the National Industrial Court to stop the Nigeria Civil Service Union, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NHRC unit), the Chairman of the union, Efem Atu; and its Secretary, Kurugh Bem, from going ahead with the planned strike action.
The commission sought three reliefs, including an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, proxies and affiliates from indefinitely withdrawing their services, shutting down the offices of the NHRC nationwide or embarking on industrial action from Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
The NHRC also sought an interim injunction stopping the respondents from gathering.
In granting the ex-parte order, Justice E.N Agbakoba, stated, “The defendants are hereby restrained by themselves, agents, privies, proxies, affiliates or servants whosoever named deriving authority from them from indefinitely withdrawing their services from the applicant’s offices, shutting down any of the applicant’s offices or embarking on any industrial action of any sort pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by the court.”
NHRC was established by the National Human Rights Commission Rights 1995 (as amended) in line with Resolution 48/134 of the United Nations General Assembly, which enjoins all member states to establish independent national institutions for the promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights.
It serves as an extra-judicial mechanism for the respect and enjoyment of human rights and also provides avenues for public enlightenment, research and dialogue in order to raise awareness on human rights issues.
An ex-Chairman of the commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who posted the court papers on Twitter, said it was ironic that the very agency that was established for the purpose of protecting and advancing the rights of citizens could secure such a court order.
“In a starkly ironic twist today in Abuja, NHRC procured an ex parte order from the National Industrial Court without a return date precluding its staff union from exercising their trade union rights,” Odinkalu tweeted.