Passengers stranded at Lagos airport
All flights heading to Owerri, the Imo state capital, were disrupted on Wednesday at the Lagos airport by the organised labour unions.
Also affected were flights to other destinations from the General Aviation Terminal One and Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal Two.
Airline staff expressed shock at the development as there was no prior notice of a strike or planned disruptions by labour unions.
The disruption of flights to Owerri is reported to be the same across airports in the country.
The unions say the national body, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has declared “No Flight To Owerri”, following the alleged disruption of their May Day rally in the state by thugs allegedly sponsored by the state government.
The declaration is contained in a letter sent to the Lagos State Council of the Labour Centre signed by the NLC secretary-general, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, in Abuja.
The decision on the industrial action was reached on Monday night at the end of an emergency Joint Central Working Committee meeting of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The letter directed members in the aviation sector to “paralyse flight to Imo State beginning from mid-night of Wednesday, May 3, 2023” and to carry out a “comprehensive industrial action” against the Imo State Government beginning from Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
Reporting by Nosa Aituamen; Editing by Oluwaseyi Ajibade and Tony Okerafor