Joe Ajaero: NLC Threatens Nationwide Strike if Police Detain Its President
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the police detain its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, over allegations of terrorism financing.
This was disclosed after an emergency National Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday to discuss the police invitation.
Ajaero was summoned by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
The invitation requires him to appear for an interview on Tuesday, 20th August 2024, at the IRT Complex in Guzape District, Abuja.
The NLC NEC resolved that Ajaero should honour the police invitation, but noted that their legal adviser should seek more time for him to appear before the police authorities.
Comrade Ado Kabiru Sani, the Deputy President of the NLC, urged workers and their affiliate bodies to remain on standby for further directives should the police act contrary to their expectation of detaining Ajaero.
“As a committed labour center, we will honour the invitation of the police because we are not a faceless organisation, but we are working with our lawyer for an extension of time,” Sani said. “In the event that the President is arrested, all workers will down tools immediately. We should wait for further directives from our leadership.”
The NLC’s threat of a nationwide strike comes as tensions rise over the police invitation and allegations against Ajaero. The union has maintained that it will not be intimidated and will take all necessary actions to protect its leader and members.
