BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
ABUJA — THE Abuja division of National Industrial Court, NIC, weekend, restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, its affiliates and agents from disrupting the operations of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc nationwide.

The National Executive Council, NEC, of NLC, had Friday resolved to picket and shut operations of Union Bank from February 14 through 18 over dispute with the bank, following the withdrawal of recognition of the Bank’s unit of Association of Senor Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, affiliated to NLC.

In a suit, NIC granted an order of interim injunction restraining the (defendant/respondent) NLC, directly or indirectly, through its agents, privies, affiliates representatives or any other person(s) from carrying out its threat as contained in its letter of January 17, 2011, to Union Bank, pending the hearing and determination of the bank’s motion on notice, dated January 20, 2011.

In granting the order sought, the President NIC, Justice B.A. Adejumo, said: “I have gone through the motion ex parte, the affidavit in support and affidavit of urgency. I have also perused the exhibits attached to the affidavits. I have listened to the counsel for the applicant and I have considered the decisions in the cases cited before the court. I am of the view that this is one of the cases that the matter of urgency, balance of convenience and quantum of damage that may be suffered are to be taken into consideration if justice is to be done to the parties.”

I hold that irreparable damage will be done to the claimant/applicant as well as its numerous customers across the country if this order of interim reliefs are not granted.”

He therefore issued restraining order of interim injunction restraining the Defendant/Respondent (“Respondent”) by itself, directly or indirectly through its servants, agents, privies, affiliates, representatives or by any other person(s) (\Whether natural or juristic) from carrying out the threat contained in the Defendant’s letter dated 17 January, 2011 to the Applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the Applicant’s motion on notice dated 20 January, 201] for interlocutory injunction.

An Order of interim injunction restraining the Defendant by itself, directly or indirectly through its servants, agents, privies, affiliates, representatives or by any other person (s) (whether natural or non – natural), from obstructing or frustrating in any way the business or operation of the Applicant pending the hearing and determination of the Applicant’s motion on notice dated 20 January, 2011 for interlocutory injunction, An Order of interim injunction restraining the Defendant by itself, directly or indirectly through its servants, agents, privies, affiliates, representatives or by any other person (s) (whether natural or non – natural), from ordering or instigating any strike action or picketing action against the Applicant, pending the bearing and determination of Applicant’s motion on notice dated 20 January 20011 for interlocutory injunction,
Justice Adejumo consequently, adjourned the case to 10th February, 2011 in Lagos for hearing of the Motion on Notice.