At least three staff of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA), Ilorin, were on Monday hospitalised during a violent disruption of activities by members of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE) in the establishment.

Tribune Online gathered that members of the NUAAE staged a protest against the management of the authority over allegations of high-handedness and absence of workers’ welfare.

The union members reportedly attacked staff, inflicting various degrees of injury, while the management, led by the Managing Director, Engineer George Olumoroti, reported the incident to the Nigeria Police Force in Kwara State and the Department of State Services (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 rather than a protest, presented 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 the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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 said he later appealed to the Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev, to temper justice with mercy by commuting the recommended dismissal to lesser sanctions, which was approved.

According to him, 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 this prompted 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.

He 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 maintained that the management would not tolerate acts of violence or intimidation, adding that all staff must operate within public service rules and extant laws. (Nigerian Tribune)

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