State workers protest result of 'ghost' screening exercise

Workers of the Kogi State government have reportedly embarked on a protest in the capital following the release of the results of the

According to a report by Tribune, the workers protested the results of the screening exercise which the Kogi State Government embarked upon on Monday, January 16, 2017.

It was further reported that the protest erupted after some workers of the Lokoja local government area expressed dissatisfaction and anger for being screened out.

The protest, it was also reported has created palpable fear and anxiety in the other 20 local government areas as workers await the result of cleared workers.

Trouble started at the Lokoja local government area secretariat in the morning when some staff members that resumed for duty discovered that the list of those that were successful and unsuccessful at the screening had been pasted on the wall of one of the offices.

Protesting workers, who were prevented from causing havoc by stern looking security operatives, claimed over 300 workers had been screened out and referred to as ghost workers by the state government.

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The aggrieved workers reportedly marched to the state secretariat where they locked up the premises, made bonfires and kept chanting various anti government songs while making human and vehicular movement impossible in the area.

The protest reportedly disturbed free flow of traffic but remained peaceful as the presence of the combined team of the men of the regular police, the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) did not allow the protest to go violent.