The Global Plus Publishing Company, a printing firm owned by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s Christ Embassy Church, has allegedly sacked 75 workers for their decision to join trade unions.
The mass dismissal, which occurred on March 13, 2026, has sparked outrage among labour leaders who accuse the cleric and the company’s management of turning a religious-backed enterprise into a “slave camp” where democratic rights are flagrantly trampled upon.
According to a joint statement by the National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) and the Pulp, Paper and Paper Products, Printing and Publishing Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PPAPPPAPSSAN), the management issued sack letters by midnight, citing redundancy as a cover-up.
The unions, however, contend that the redundancy claim is a legal smoke-screen designed to hide a witch-hunt against union members.
In an appeal letter dated April 1, 2026, and addressed to trade unions and civil society organisations, PPAPPPAPSSAN General Secretary, Benedict A. Ikegbulam, called for urgent intervention and solidarity.
“PPAPPPAPSSAN humbly request your kind and urgent support by way of joining this union and NUPPPPROW to picket the sacking of 75 workers by management of Global Plus Publishing Company,” the letter read.
According to the unions, 40 of the affected workers belong to NUPPPPROW, while 35 are members of PPAPPPAPSSAN.
The unions accused the company of disguising the dismissals as redundancy, despite what they described as the absence of any financial downturn.
“From all ramifications, this is not a redundancy exercise but a clear case of witch-hunt of workers for belonging to trade unions,” the statement said.
They alleged that sack letters were issued late at night, describing the process as “fraudulent” and designed to intimidate workers.
“The company is turning into a slave camp where democratic rights of workers were flagrantly trampled upon,” the unions added.
The labour organisations also accused the company of violating Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom of association, including the right to form or belong to trade unions.
They also cited Section 20 of the Labour Act, which requires employers declaring redundancy to notify unions, apply the “last-in, first-out” principle, and negotiate redundancy benefits.
“Section 40 guarantees the inalienable right of Nigerian workers to assemble and associate,” the unions stated. “Section 20 of the Labour Act mandates employers to inform unions of redundancy and negotiate benefits. None of these were followed.”
“The company is owned by Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy, the church that preaches love, kindness, peace and justice. Ironically, those workers who were not members of unions were not sacked,” the letter added.
The unions described the dismissals as discriminatory and warned that allowing such actions to stand would embolden other employers to suppress union activities.
“If this trend is allowed to thrive, definitely many other companies will follow suit,” the letter warned.
