Shoprite protests: Police deploy personnel to Ilorin branch

Date: 2021-04-04

By NAN

The Kwara command of the Nigeria Police Force has deployed some of its personnel to the Ilorin branch of Shoprite, a South African store operating across cities, over continued protests by staff of the grocery shop.

A Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the Kwara Mall, housing the store along Fate Road, Ilorin, reports that there was heavy presence of armed police personnel at the edifice amidst shutdown of operations by the staff.

One of the staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity, vowed that the protest would continue until their demands were met by the South African company.

The Shoprite staff told NAN that they received an internal memo informing them that the South African company has outrightly sold its write to a Nigerian investor.

"When we were told that the company had been sold and that they sold us with the company, we rejected this approach and asked them to pay us off before the take over is completed.

"They dragged us to labour and we signed an agreement, that on or before March 31, they should agree with the staff or they must not handover.

"Now, they want to use the police to intimidate us, so as to allow them to trade, that cannot be done," the Shoprite staff said.

He explained that they were asking to be paid off because since Shoprite came to Nigeria in 2005, they have been working for the company.

"Some of us have been working since 15 to 10 years with the company, they can't just sell us like that, if the new investor wants to absolve us, they should employ us back.

"They stood that they won't pay us a damn, they said if we refuse to work, they will recruit another staff, South Africa is intimidating us in their country and here in Nigeria again," he added.

He explained that the staff want the South African company to be done with them before they finally handover to the new investors.

"With the contract I signed with Shoprite, I am supposed to retire with them in 2049, I still have about 20 or more years and now you are saying you sold me to someone," he said.

He however said they were yet to meet with the new owners, explaining in clear terms that they don't even know their identity.

The Shoprite staff revealed that the memo they got was that the company has been sold 100 per cent.

The aggrieved staff explained that the handing over was scheduled for April 1, but could not be done because the company failed to keep to their promises.

He said information available to them was that by 9 a.m on Saturday, the police should find a way to allow operations to take place at the store.

NAN reports that the staff carried placards with different inscription asking the company to pay them off while another read "We are not slaves" as they use crane to block the entrance of the store with all the doors shut.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Alagbado     Abatemi-Usman     08001000100     Olabimpe Olani     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Saheed Akinwumi     Oba Of Jebba     Peter Obi     NSCIA     Folaranmi Aro     Ben Duntoye     Omar Bolaji Gambari     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Sabo-Oke     Mustapha Olanipekun     Afetu Of Alabe     Mukhtar Shagaya     Shehu Jimoh     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     Kwara North     Oloje     Radio Kwara     Yahaya Muhammad     Ajakaye     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan     Cornelius Adebayo     Moshood Mustapha     Kwara Teaching Service Commission     Galadiman Ngeri     Asiwaju Bola Tinubu     Madawaki     Ita-Nmo Market     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Ayinde Oki     JSSCE     Oba-Solagberu     Laolu Saraki     Association Of Kwara State Online Media Practitioners     Gafaru Olayiwola Olorisade     Gobir     Suleiman Idris     Balogun Fulani     Mike Omotosho     Sarah Alade     Yakubu Shaaba     Erubu     Kassim Babamale     Olatunde Olukoya     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Aminu Adisa Logun     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Esinniobiwa Quareeb     Wahab Abayawo     Funmilayo Braithwaite     Olugbense     Prince Sunday Fagbemi     Oloriegbe     Maryam Ado Bayero     Student Learning Support Helpline     Elewu     Amina Susa\'a De Ahmed     CCT     CCEPE     Abatemi Usman     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla     Air Peace     FOMWAN     Irepodun     Col. Taiwo     Special Adviser On Digital Innovation     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     Ohoro Of Shao    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Babatunde Ishola Babaita     Undergraduate Bursary     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Issa Baba     Shururat Olatinwo     Eleyele     Ibrahim Jawondo     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     Sambo Murtala     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     KFA     MMWG     Okala Baba     Femi Gbajabiamila     John Obuh     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Mohammed Danjuma     Kisra     Wahab Egbewole     Ayo Adeyemi     Sheikh Ridhwanullah     Haruna Tambiri Mohammed     Babajide Ajayi     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Oyun     Ibrahim Akaje     Ubandoma     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Oro Grammar School     Alliance For Democracy     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Barakat Community Secondary School     Shonga     Dan Masanin     Kehinde Baale     Hakeem Lawal     First Lady     Orisun Igbomina     Muritala Olarewaju     Ilesha Gwanara Road     Yusuf Lanre Badmus     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Stephen Fasakin     Jide Ashonibare     Saka Aleshinloye     ASKOMP     Deji Ajani     Fulani     Yaman     Ibrahim Oniye     Garba Ado Sanni     Abdulkarim Adisa     Oke-Odo     Temi Kolawole     Ilorin South     Atunwa     Ramadan     Olohungbebe     Ilorin Emirate Staff Association     Alaro     Ibrahim Kayode Adeyemi     Moses Rahman Popoola     KWTV     Pacify Labs     Kehinde Boyede     Bello Bature     Rafiu Olasile     Bashirat Bola Bello     Isau     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Salmon Babatunde Salmon     GGDSS Pakata     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Bayo Ojo