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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 59/1998
Detained Nigerian oilworkers' leaders Milton Dabibi and Frank Kokori have now been released from prison, a Nigerian union officer told the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) this morning. Their unions are making arrangements to bring Dabibi and Kokori home from their places of detention.
Nigerian Head of State Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar announced the decision to free Kokori, Dabibi and a number of other detainees last night. Frank Kokori, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union NUPENG, has been detained without charge or trial since 1994, and Milton Dabibi, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union PENGASSAN, since January 1996.
Both unions are affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which has been leading an international trade union campaign for Dabibi's and Kokori's release. Other organisations campaigning on their behalf include Amnesty International.
When Major-General Abubakar was sworn in as Nigeria's new Head of State last week, the ICEM, its affiliated unions worldwide and other union internationals immediately asked him to order Kokori's and Dabibi's release.
"We are delighted that these two courageous trade union leaders have been freed from their long and unjust imprisonment," said ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe this morning. "This is a great step towards the restoration of trade union freedom in Nigeria. Our sincere thanks go to all the ICEM affiliates and all the union internationals and national union federations who have campaigned on Milton Dabibi's and Frank Kokori's behalf, to Amnesty International and other human rights organisations and to the governments and oil companies who helped to lobby for the two Nigerian union leaders' release.
"The ICEM congratulates Major-General Abubakar for moving swiftly to undo the gross injustice done by his predecessor," Thorpe stated. "We ask him now to take the next logical step by ending all government intervention in the affairs of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, withdrawing the government-imposed 'sole administrators' from the unions' offices, handing back to the elected officers of NUPENG and PENGASSAN the responsibility for running their unions, lifting the ban on the check-off of union dues, unfreezing the unions' bank accounts, ordering the reinstatement of any oil workers dismissed for their part in the Nigerian oil strike of 1994 and rescinding all decrees that restrict Nigerian unions' right to affiliate freely at the international level.
"This is a great triumph for international labour solidarity," Thorpe said. "We must now move forward and help our Nigerian brothers and sisters to regain what is theirs of right - independent, effective trade unions that can defend their interests within a democratic Nigeria."
Nigerian Head of State Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar announced the decision to free Kokori, Dabibi and a number of other detainees last night. Frank Kokori, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union NUPENG, has been detained without charge or trial since 1994, and Milton Dabibi, General Secretary of oil and gas workers' union PENGASSAN, since January 1996.
Both unions are affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which has been leading an international trade union campaign for Dabibi's and Kokori's release. Other organisations campaigning on their behalf include Amnesty International.
When Major-General Abubakar was sworn in as Nigeria's new Head of State last week, the ICEM, its affiliated unions worldwide and other union internationals immediately asked him to order Kokori's and Dabibi's release.
"We are delighted that these two courageous trade union leaders have been freed from their long and unjust imprisonment," said ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe this morning. "This is a great step towards the restoration of trade union freedom in Nigeria. Our sincere thanks go to all the ICEM affiliates and all the union internationals and national union federations who have campaigned on Milton Dabibi's and Frank Kokori's behalf, to Amnesty International and other human rights organisations and to the governments and oil companies who helped to lobby for the two Nigerian union leaders' release.
"The ICEM congratulates Major-General Abubakar for moving swiftly to undo the gross injustice done by his predecessor," Thorpe stated. "We ask him now to take the next logical step by ending all government intervention in the affairs of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, withdrawing the government-imposed 'sole administrators' from the unions' offices, handing back to the elected officers of NUPENG and PENGASSAN the responsibility for running their unions, lifting the ban on the check-off of union dues, unfreezing the unions' bank accounts, ordering the reinstatement of any oil workers dismissed for their part in the Nigerian oil strike of 1994 and rescinding all decrees that restrict Nigerian unions' right to affiliate freely at the international level.
"This is a great triumph for international labour solidarity," Thorpe said. "We must now move forward and help our Nigerian brothers and sisters to regain what is theirs of right - independent, effective trade unions that can defend their interests within a democratic Nigeria."