By Chinedu Echianu
The General Secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Peters Adeyemi, has welcomed the recent advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirming workers’ right to strike, describing it as a significant victory for trade unions worldwide.
In a vote of 10–4, the Court held that the right of workers to embark on strike, including their organizations is protected under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87). The Court was however careful to state that it was not defining the exact limits of the right to strike.
Reacting to the ICJ advisory on the sidelines of the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Adeyemi said the ruling had removed longstanding fears among labour leaders that efforts by some governments and employers could weaken organised labour by restricting workers’ ability to embark on industrial action.
According to him, the right to strike remains an essential tool available to trade unions after all avenues for dialogue and negotiation have been exhausted. He argued that any attempt by employers or governments to deny workers that right would be counterproductive and could worsen industrial relations. Adeyemi also criticised the frequent resort to court injunctions to halt strikes, noting that such measures often fail to address the underlying grievances of workers.
The NASU leader maintained that the right to strike is already embedded in international labour standards, particularly the International Labour Organization Convention 87 on Freedom of Association, to which Nigeria is a signatory. He said the ICJ opinion reinforces existing protections and serves as a warning against attempts to render trade unions ineffective.
On the security situation in Nigeria, Adeyemi expressed concern over the rising cases of kidnapping and violent crime across the country. He described the worsening insecurity as one of the greatest challenges facing Nigerians, particularly within the education sector where schools and teachers have increasingly become targets of criminal attacks.
He urged the Federal Government to adopt more effective measures to tackle insecurity, stressing that the primary responsibility of government is the protection of lives and property. Adeyemi said the growing boldness of criminal groups indicates that current strategies are not yielding the desired results.
The labour leader also backed renewed discussions on the establishment of state police, arguing that community-based policing models have proven effective in other parts of the world. While acknowledging concerns that governors could misuse state police structures, he said Nigeria must explore alternative approaches given the persistence of insecurity despite existing measures.
Adeyemi warned that the country’s security challenges require urgent attention from the highest levels of government, noting that no Nigerian can currently claim to be completely safe. He called on President Bola Tinubu to lead a more decisive national response to stem the tide of kidnappings and violent crime across the country.
