Exposed: the Slave Yard Called Inner Galaxy Group

The Slave Yard Called Inner Galaxy Group

Nigerians continues to vent their anger against Inner Galaxy Group, a Chinese company located at Umuahala Obuzor Asa in Ukwa West Local Government of Abia State after the nefarious activities of the company was exposed. Inner Galaxy Group which has over 1000 Nigerian work force has been accused of compelling workers to work under excruciating and dehumanizing conditions. Workers in the company resume work as early as 6am and closes by 7pm daily and this process runs throughout the week.

At Inner Galaxy Group, no leave, no off, no excuse and no employment letter according to investigation by our correspondent. A worker can be employed today and be dismissed that same day for no reason. Every day and minute in the company, could be your last, as a Nigerian worker, a source said. There is no job security. They will sack workers and chase them away with Army or Police, never to step into the company again.

A source who doesn’t want his name on print authoritatively informed our correspondent that the frustration he faced in the company made him to voluntarily resign and leave. According to this source, “Nigerian workers in the company are mandated to call their Chinese employers master or mistress and failure to do so will attract immediate termination of the person’s job. Nigerians are constantly molested by the Chinese directors”.

There are cases of sexual abuse.

Another former female worker of the company who also spoke with our correspondent narrated how she left Inner Galaxy after her boss made several forceful attempt to abuse her sexually. “It was a horrible experience. I was always working with so much fear. I had to leave the job for my own life and security. I never knew that Chinese people could be this wicked”, she said. She also talked about other young women who have been abused sexually but can’t speak. Some of them are so scared to speak because they fear something bad might happen to them.

Another former employee of the company told our correspondent that the Chinese directors have boasted on numerous occasion that they can kill anybody and nothing will happen. According to this former employee of Inner Galaxy, “the Chinese directors usually make this statement whenever they physically assault any of their worker”. Moreover, this pathetic situation has made Nigerian workers in the company to remain helpless. To make the matter worst, the Nigeria police and army stationed in the company are used in orchestrating this human right abuse.

Further investigation by our correspondent uncovered that over 3 months, Inner Galaxy Group held it’s workers on hostage because of COVID 19. The gate of the company was under lock and key, therefore, obstructing workers from going home. Workers were lumped in a prison like accommodation provided by the company.

CCTV Cameras are all over the premises of the company. Activities of workers are strictly monitored. Workers are not permitted to engage in any form of social interaction. They can’t form Unions. They can’t protest or make demands from the company.

However, many frontline human right activists have condemned the actions of the Chinese company. Comrade Paul Ikechukwu Njoku, a human right activist and author has categorically condemned the actions of Inner Galaxy Group. According to Njoku, “I bitterly condemn the actions of Inner Galaxy and I’m calling on the Inspector General of Police and Nigeria Labour Union to investigate and swiftly bring the evil perpatrators to book”.

Abia State government on it’s part has already set up a 9-man Investigative Committee to look into the operations of Inner Galaxy Steel Company with a view to ascertaining their level of compliance with relevant local and international laws.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who inaugurated the 9-man committee at the Government House, Umuahia, noted that Government was moved to set up the committee following reports in the print and social media of exploitation of workers and evasion of taxes accrued to Government by the Chinese owned Inner Galaxy Company.

Governor Ikpeazu charged the committee to go into the company and find out if issues raised against them about abuse and infringement on the rights of Abians and Nigerian workers through exploitation, causualisation of workers, physical assault, sexual abuse of female workers, working more than the usual working hours, unconducieve working environment and evasion of taxes were true.