Pupils sent back home from school as nationwide strike takes effect in Ogun

Pupils of public schools in Ogun State were on Tuesday sent back home as teachers joined the nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The pupils, who went to school on Tuesday, returned home as there were no teachers to attend to them.

Some of the pupils, who spoke to Newsmen in Abeokuta, the state capital, said that the classrooms were under lock and key.

"We were told to go home because teachers have gone on strike," Ismaila, a pupil of Macjob Secondary School, told our correspondent at Onikolobo area of Abeokuta.

Checks by our correspondent confirmed that the situation was the same in all the public schools across the state.

However, private schools in the state opened for business.

Also, commercial banks and other private establishments defied the directive of the labour unions as they resumed for normal business activities.

There is blackout in Abeokuta as workers of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) complied with the NLC directive, shutting down their Abeokuta office.

Also, some doctors, nurses and other health workers were at work at the state hospital, Ijaye.

The NLC Chairman in Ogun State, Hammed Ademola, said the level of compliance is high, adding that the state would not pull out of the strike.

"We just have to comply with the directive of the national body. The instructions are to stay at home so we don't expect anybody to go to work

"We have circulated different letters to all affiliates, and they have started calling their members to stay at home. This particular strike is a stay-at-home action," the NLC chairman said.