Expelled members, hoodlums invade ASCSN National Secretariat in Lagos

NIGERIA – Lagos: The Oyo State Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Babatunde Balogun, on Monday, said some expelled members of the association and hired hoodlums invaded the national secretariat in Lagos on Monday.

He said save for the early intervention of the Nigeria Police, the hired hoodlums would have vandalize and possibly burnt down the secretariat.

The Lagos secretariat was reportedly shut down by the police on the invitation of the National Secretariat, following violent protests by aggrieved members who wanted to hijack the leadership of the Association.

In a statement by Comrade Balogun which was made available to journalists in Ibadan, the leadership of the union had invited the Lagos State Police Command to close the premises to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

The statement read: “Following an attempt to forcefully invade the National Secretariat of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria in Lagos today by expelled members of the union, including the former President, Bola Audu Innocent, the Lagos State Police Command advised that the Secretariat should close for business today so as to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

“Innocent Bola Audu was accompanied in the invasion of the ASCSN National Secretariat by some retired staff as well as suspected hoodlums including marabouts who openly displayed their charms.
“We wish to request our teeming members throughout the country to remain calm as the situation is under

control”.
It could be recalled that aggrieved members of ASCSN took over the national secretariat of the Association in Yaba Lagos to protest against alleged inefficiency by union officials.
Speaking to journalists, the former ASCSN Chairman in Oyo State, Andrew Emelieze, said the protesters are not happy with what is happening in the Association.

He said, “The protesters are not happy that the union has abandoned its responsibility to only continue to loot workers check up dues as seen in the police probe of the former secretary general of the union Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal and many other union officials who had become emergency multimillionaires.

“The protesters have promised to continue the protest until all bad eggs are flushed out of the union and the eventual prosecution of all the looters in the union.”