MOUN Petitions Labour Ministry Over Alleged Intimidation In Delta, Warns Of Impending Industrial Unrest
Mounting tension is brewing in Delta State’s transport sector as the Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria (MOUN) has raised alarm over what it describes as systematic intimidation and unlawful interference by the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), a situation the union says threatens industrial harmony in the state.
In a strongly worded petition dated 18th September 2025, addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, and signed by the National President, Comrade Alhaji Rasak Olusola Sotayo, MOUN accused the SSG of persistently obstructing its lawful activities, including unionisation efforts and the collection of check-off dues, in violation of labour and constitutional provisions.
The union alleged that its members have faced “continuous intimidation, illegal detention, and persecution” orchestrated through security agencies such as the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), actions it claims are being influenced by the SSG’s personal and business relationship with the state chairman of the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association (COMTOA), which MOUN described as a “yellow union.”
MOUN cited the Trade Unions Act and a National Industrial Court ruling (NICN/PHC/48/2022), which declared that associations registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) cannot operate as trade unions, reinforcing MOUN’s argument that its legitimacy is being undermined by state interference.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Delta State chapter, according to the petition, has also condemned the SSG’s actions, urging respect for freedom of association and workers’ rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
The appeal comes after earlier interventions by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, including a 2024 letter from its Delta State Controller, Mrs Eucharia Ozulumba, introducing MOUN to the State Governor and urging recognition, which failed to yield results.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government maintains its stance that all commercial motorcycle and tricycle unions were amalgamated into COMTOA over a decade ago to ensure public safety and prevent incessant clashes.
In a letter signed by the SSG, Dr Eze Emu, and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, on 3rd September 2025, the government reiterated that MOUN should apply to join COMTOA “in the interest of the masses.”
However, labour analysts warn that such directives could set a troubling precedent for unionism in Nigeria, where the autonomy of trade unions is constitutionally protected and government interference is prohibited.
With copies of the petition sent to the National Security Adviser, Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of DSS, and the national leadership of the NLC and TUC, attention now turns to how the Federal Ministry of Labour will mediate the escalating dispute, one that could test the boundaries of labour freedom and state authority in Nigeria’s industrial relations landscape.
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