The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State has raised concerns over the alleged intimidation and arrest of local government workers by security agencies, barely hours after employees resumed duty following nearly 11 months of industrial action.
Speaking on Monday, the Osun State NLC Chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, said organised labour had received reports of workers being arrested within council secretariats across the state. He warned that such actions could threaten the fragile peace that followed the prolonged strike by local government employees.
According to Arapasopo, the arrests were part of what he described as an attempt to criminalise public servants for carrying out their lawful duties. He alleged that security agencies were being used to harass and humiliate workers, turning local government offices into centres of intimidation and political rivalry.
Although the Osun State Police Command has not officially confirmed any arrests, sources within the All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed that two to three council employees were apprehended while allegedly trying to remove documents from local government offices. The reported arrests occurred at the Boluwaduro Local Government headquarters in Otan Ayegbaju and the Egbedore Local Government Secretariat in Awo shortly after workers returned to their desks.
Videos and photographs circulated on social media on Monday showed individuals said to be the arrested workers alongside documents allegedly recovered from them, sparking public debate over the incident.
Addressing the issue at the 2026 annual prayer event organised by the Osun State Government in Abere, Arapasopo condemned the treatment of the workers, insisting that labour would not remain silent if the situation continued. He accused the police of supporting certain politicians to publicly parade and humiliate council employees.
“It is unacceptable for the police to be involved in such acts,” he said, adding that workers should not be treated as criminals for operating within established public service rules.
The NLC chairman also criticised the circulation of images showing workers allegedly forced to kneel, calling for their immediate release. He declared the union’s solidarity with affected members and warned against what he described as the use of security agencies by the APC for “illegal” purposes.
Arapasopo further accused the opposition party of attempting to destabilise the state, stressing that labour would resist any such moves through lawful means. He warned security agencies to halt what he termed continued harassment of local government workers.
Linking labour’s position to broader political accountability, Arapasopo said the union would continue to support policies favourable to workers and remain vigilant in the political process.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to issue an official response to the allegations. The development has heightened fears that unresolved political and administrative tensions at the local government level could once again strain industrial relations in Osun State, just days after workers returned from a lengthy shutdown.
