At least three staff members of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority in Kwara State were hospitalised on Monday after a violent disruption at the agency's headquarters in Ilorin. The incident occurred during a protest by members of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE), which management described as an attack rather than a peaceful demonstration. Managing Director Engr. Olushola George Olumoroti said the union members assaulted workers, leading to injuries and hospitalisations. Video footage was presented to journalists showing the chaos.
Olmorotori linked the unrest to ongoing disciplinary proceedings involving NUAAE Kwara State Chairman Mudi Olayinka Raji, a former Ilorin Area Manager. He stated that Raji and four others were found culpable by disciplinary panels over allegations of revenue diversion, unauthorised transactions, and inclusion of a non-staff spouse in financial records. Sanctions ranged from refunding funds to dismissal, later reduced by the Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Utsev, following an appeal by the managing director. The minister directed Raji to refund unaccounted funds, accept a warning letter, and submit an undertaking of good conduct.
While other affected officers complied, Raji rejected the clemency, alleging forged documents and petitioning the minister for a fresh investigation, which was granted. Olumoroti claimed Monday's protest was an attempt to disrupt the new panel's work and resist reforms introduced since his April 2025 assumption of office. He accused the protesters of breaching security and using weapons, though another union confirmed its members were present at work and not involved. The management alerted the police and Department of State Services over security concerns. Raji denied all allegations, calling the actions against him victimisation.
Olmorotori claims to have appealed for mercy for Raji, yet frames the same man as a threat to institutional reform. The managing director's portrayal of the protest as sabotage undermines his earlier appeal for clemency. If Raji was worthy of reduced punishment, the authority's response to his dissent appears inconsistent. The incident leaves unresolved whether the agency is reforming or settling scores.
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