The police and other security agents, on Tuesday, had a torrid time combating heavily armed thugs who unleashed carnage on Kaduna workers who were marching as part of their strike action.

The thugs, armed with knives, sticks and stones attacked the peaceful protesters at NEPA roundabout, Kaduna, but were quickly dispersed by security personnel deployed to protect the protesters.

Some of the thugs were arrested.

Organised Labour had earlier raised alarm that the Governor Nasir El-Rufai led government was recruiting thugs to disrupt their demonstrations and injure protesters.

One of the protesters, Daniel John described the development as “very unfortunate”, adding that although no one was injured, they were forced to suspend the peaceful procession for the day.

“We were at NEPA roundabout and about to be addressed by our chairman, when the heavily armed thugs in their numbers arrived and began to wield knives and sticks while others threw stones at us.

“We were lucky security personnel were with us, who engaged the thugs and managed to disperse them and arrest some of them,” he said.

Another protester, Fatima Abdulhamid, thanked the police and other security personnel for displaying a high level of professionalism by quickly responding to the threat and overrunning the thugs.

Earlier, the NLC Chairman in the state, Ayuba Suleiman, said that the labour unions were committed to the principle of dialogue and social bargaining for the benefit of disengaged workers in the state.

The labour unions had on Monday began a five-day warning strike over the sack of civil servants by the Kaduna State Government.

Mr Suleiman had earlier on Sunday, assured workers and the general public of their commitment to maintain peace during the strike action.