By ADAMU ABUH, Abuja

The House of Representatives has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu set free over one thousand workers detained in Youngxing Steel Company in Edo state.

Adopting a motion sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Mr Ndudi Elumelu, the House enjoined the IGP to immediately send a crack team of policemen to storm the firm to achieve the goal.

The House also directed the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the NCDC to put in place measures aimed at ensuring post-release management of the detained workers.

The House urged relevant committees of the House to probe into the issue and ensure appropriate sanctions is meted to the Chinese firm if found culpable of committing the act illegally.

Moving the motion, Elumelu claimed that the workers were detained since 24th of March 2020 under the pretext of saving them from contracting the deadly Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The lawmaker claimed that the workers were kept in a room bunker, forcing them to work in slavish conditions 24hrs round the clock, day in and out for the last three months in a hazardous environment to the detriment of the wellbeing.

Stating that the workers were compelled to swear to an oath of secrecy, he claimed that the workers were blackmailed not to divulge their new work conditions to anybody, failing which they would lose Their jobs.

The lawmakers argued that the plight of the workers was tantamount to an infringement of their fundamental right to liberty, forced imprisonment, flagrant abuse of labour laws and The Companies and Allied matters Act, 2004. (The Guardian)