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Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) were assaulted by thugs while protesting at the Asokoro, Abuja residence of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.
        The NLC staged a demonstration in front of the minister's residence to protest his refusal to swear in Frank Kokori as head of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), an agency under Ngige's supervision as minister. The protesters blocked the street around the minister's house with two petrol tankers and chanted solidarity songs to make their demands known. They were soon attacked by hoodlums leading to a clash that lasted for over an hour, according to a report by Premium Times. The driver of the NLC general secretary, Peter Ozo-Esan, was reported to have been badly beaten with other NLC members reported to have suffered injuries.
        Journalists who were present to cover the protest were also attacked by the hoodlums that dispersed the labour demonstrators. The NLC announced that a decision will be made on the way forward at a Central Working Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 9. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, as then-Acting President, appointed Kokori as NSITF board chairman in 2017, but Ngige has refused to inaugurate him, insisting that the power to make recommendations to the President or Acting President for the chairman of the board rests solely on the minister.