NLC issues Delta govt two-week ultimatum over alleged harassment, ban on MOUN

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Delta State Government to end the alleged harassment and detention of members of the Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria (MOUN) and lift restrictions on the union’s operations in the state.

The NLC, in a letter dated October 28, 2026, addressed to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, made available to CAPITAL POST on Thursday in Abuja, warned that failure to resolve the dispute could threaten industrial harmony in the state.

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The letter, signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, called for the governor’s immediate intervention over what the Congress described as the unconstitutional ban on MOUN’s activities by the state government.

According to the labour union, the situation has deteriorated despite previous attempts to resolve the dispute through social dialogue and earlier correspondence dated September 30, 2025, and January 20, 2026.

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The NLC alleged that MOUN had recently been banned through a directive purportedly issued by the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), while members of the union had faced harassment and detention.

The Congress attributed the dispute to what it described as the SSG’s interest in and support for the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association (COMTOA), an organisation the NLC said was not a registered trade union.

The labour body maintained that MOUN is a registered trade union affiliated with the NLC and argued that it has the legal authority to organise motorcycle operators and collect union dues in accordance with the Trade Unions Act.

It further accused some officials of the Delta State Government of undermining the constitutional and legal rights of workers to organise under recognised trade unions.

The NLC also faulted the alleged characterisation of MOUN as an illegal union, noting that the state government had accused the organisation of diverting public revenue through the sale of unauthorised tickets to motorcycle operators and of posing a threat to public peace.

According to the letter, the dispute has also resulted in legal proceedings involving the union and some of its members in courts across Delta State.
The Congress expressed concern that a non-trade union organisation was allegedly receiving official backing at the expense of a registered labour union, warning that the situation could trigger an industrial crisis.

“Having exercised considerable patience for more than three years on this matter, we are constrained to issue a final two-week ultimatum for the Delta State Government to end the harassment of MOUN and motorcycle operators organised by the union,” the letter stated.

The NLC warned that it might not be able to guarantee industrial harmony in Delta State if the government failed to address its concerns within the stipulated period.

It urged Governor Oborevwori to rein in officials whose alleged actions, according to the Congress, were damaging the image of his administration and worsening relations with organised labour.

Copies of the letter were sent to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Service, the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Delta State, the President of MOUN, the Chairperson of the NLC Delta State Council, and the union’s Deputy National President, Comrade Julius Bobi.

The NLC said it expected the governor’s intervention to resolve the dispute and restore industrial peace in the state.
As of the date of the letter, the document did not include a response from the Delta State Government to the allegations.

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