Workers at Daily Independent yesterday marched on the streets to protest the closure of the newspaper’s premises at Ogba, Lagos.
They accused the management, which has not paid salaries for 23 months, of harassment and intimidation.
The workers were said to have been harassed by armed policemen attached to the Area G Command.
It was gathered that the newspaper’s Managing Director, Ted Iwere, contacted the Area G Commander, who deployed his men to seal the premises.
The management’s action has attracted the condemnation of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), which has demanded Iwere’s sack.
The NUJ called on the police to vacate the premises and reopen the office, threatening to picket the management should the police remain at the company.
State Chairman Deji Elumoye and Secretary Bimbo Oyetunde, in a statement yesterday, described the incident as an affront and insensitivity to workers’ plight.
The union said: “Despite owing workers 23-month arrears, frustration and demotion of staff, the management is holding on to over N4 million workers’ contribution to staff cooperative fund and non-remittance of pension funds, among others.
“All the management feels it can do is to lock out the workers and use the police to intimidate them.
“The union had explored all avenues to dialogue with the management to resolve the issues.
“In view of the above therefore, Lagos NUJ is calling for the sack of Ted Iwere with immediate effect for gross incompetence, misconduct and unprofessional attitude.”
But the police have denied harassing or intimidating the workers, insisting that their presence was to maintain law and order.
Police spokesman Joseph Offor said: “I have called the Area Commander and he said his men did not harass or intimidate the workers.
“He said he got a call from the management that the workers were having ‘problems’ with the management.
“That he was called so that law and order could be maintained and so that hoodlums would not take advantage of the situation.
“Police did not obstruct the workers’ demonstration and no one was harassed.”