The vandalisation and looting of railway infrastructure has for some time morphed to an industrial scale in the Nasarawa State axis. In July this year, troops of four Special Forces rejected a bribe attempt by 12 suspects caught with stolen railway tracks and fittings.

Apart from the suspected existence of an insider syndicate, there is a general atmosphere of incompetence and negligent attitude to security, especially within the FAAN.

What it also means is that Organised Labour is becoming less relevant to the non-working classes because of its limited ability to force government to initiate all-inclusive palliative measures. Labour is very mindful of its own vulnerabilities, with the industrial court always deciding disputes in favour of government and threatening its leadership with contempt charges.

While our lawyers and judges have to stay back in Nigeria and practise their legal profession, the overwhelming caseloads arising from our flawed elections are creating another kind of manpower shortage. 

Labour is miffed that little is being practically seen of the Federal Government’s promises. It is also angry that the countless meetings it has been invited to by government have failed to shore up confidence.