The organised labour in Cross River State has given Governor Ben Ayade a 24-hour ultimatum to secure the unconditional release of the kidnapped state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ben Ukpekpi.

Mr Ukpekpi was kidnapped on March 21 by gunmen in his residence in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state. 

The ultimatum is contained in a communique jointly signed on Monday in Calabar by the NLC Vice Chairman, Lawrence Achuta and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Monday Ogbodum. 

The unions urged the state government and security agencies to ensure that the NLC chairman was released unharmed or be ready to face a showdown by labour.

“We want the state government to ensure the release of the NLC Chairman unharmed within 24 hours or labour unions will shut down activities of the government in the entire state.

“Failure to secure the release of the abducted chairman, the organised labour would be forced to withdraw services.

“We appeal to the state government and all security agencies to live up to their responsibilities of securing lives as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“All civil/public servants should note that at the expiration of this ultimatum and the NLC chairman is not released, all workers should shut down and stay at home,” they stated.

(NAN)