NLC_Ajero honours police invite today, seeks crowd support

Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has been invited by the police’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to appear at Force Headquarters today in response to a police summons regarding allegations of criminal conspiracy, financing of terrorism, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime. The invitation was sent 11 days ago. Ajaero is anticipated to be accompanied to the Police headquarters by a number of people, including workers, civil society friends, leaders of industrial unions linked with the NLC, and some attorneys.

In addition, NLC has instructed state council leaders across the nation to organize, go on a nonviolent march to state police commands, and hold prayer meetings in support of its President and organized labor due to the difficulties the labor movement is currently facing in the nation. In a similar vein, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has requested that, in support of the NLC and its President, Ajaero, its Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch gather journalists based in Abuja to the Force Headquarters. This occurred as the British government was encouraged by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of the United Kingdom to put an end to the federal government’s brutal repression and intimidation of trade unions.

Remember that on August 19, the Police threatened to arrest the NLC President if he did not show up for the invitation to appear at their headquarters for questioning on August 20 about allegations of criminal conspiracy, sponsorship of terrorism, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime. On August 20, however, Femi Falana, SAN, a human rights advocate and NLC attorney, provided an explanation for why the NLC president was unable to accept the police’s invitation to appear.

The NLC issued the following in a circular to its affiliates and state councils, signed by General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja: “We call on all NLC affiliates and state councils to mobilize their members in Abuja and across the states to show solidarity in response to the recent summons by the Nigeria Police Force for our President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to appear for interrogation on trumped-up charges on Thursday, August 29, 2024.” “On Thursday, the President will be escorted to the Police for the arranged meeting. All CWC members who reside in Abuja and additional members are expected to gather at the NLC National Headquarters by 8:00 AM today.