No fewer than three staff of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA), are currently hospitalised during a violent disruption of activities by members of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees NUAAE in the establishment.
Members of the NUAAE on Monday staged a protest against management of the authority over allegations of high handedness and absense of workers welfare.
The union members had reportedly attacked staff, inflicting various degrees of injury, while the management, led by the managing director of the authority, Engineer George Olumoroti, had to report to the state commissioner of Police and the Directorate of state Security (DSS).
Speaking with journalists, Olumoroti said that three members of the authority were hospitalised after receiving severe beating from the protesting union members.
The Managing Director, who described the disturbance as a violent attack and not a protest,
made available a video evidence of the incident to journalists.
According to him, the crisis stemmed from disciplinary actions initiated against a member of the union, over alleged gross misconduct and non-remittance of government revenue.
He said the management, upon assumption of office in April 2025 reviewed records and disciplinary reports as part of efforts to align the authority with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that previous management had set up disciplinary committees to investigate allegations against the union leader, over alleged diversion of government revenue, unretired IOUs and unauthorised financial transactions involving his wife, who is not a staff member of the authority.
The Managing Director said the committees found the union leader and four others culpable, recommending sanctions, including refund of unaccounted funds, warning letters and dismissal over alleged gross misconduct and corrupt practices.
He added that the recommendations were later reviewed and upheld by another committee and subsequently by the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee with representatives from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
Olumoroti said the affected officers were denied promotion in line with public service rules pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings.
He, however, said he personally appealed to the Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev to temper justice with mercy by commuting recommended dismissal to lesser sanctions similar to those given to the other affected officers.
According to him, the minister approved the appeal, directing the leader to refund unaccounted funds, accept a warning letter and submit an undertaking of good conduct.
He said while other affected officers complied and returned to duty, the union leader allegedly rejected the clemency and petitioned the minister, claiming that documentary evidence used against him had been forged.
Olumoroti said the allegation prompted the minister to direct a fresh investigation through a special disciplinary committee inaugurated last Wednesday.
He alleged that the violent disturbance was aimed at disrupting the committee’s work and frustrating ongoing reforms within the authority.
“This is a case of corruption fighting back. We are introducing reforms, accountability and discipline into the system and some persons are resisting change,” he said.
Olumoroti further alleged that some workers invaded the premises with weapons, assaulted staff and breached security within the authority.
He said members of another union resisted the disruption, insisting they were at work and not part of the protest.
The managing director said the management would not tolerate acts of violence or intimidation, adding that all staff must operate within public service rules and extant laws.
