The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stark warning: if its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, is detained by the police, a nationwide strike will be unavoidable.
This ultimatum came swiftly on the heels of an emergency National Executive Council meeting, where leaders gathered to discuss the alarming police summons issued to Ajaero over grave allegations of terrorism financing.
Under the watchful gaze of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Ajaero faces an official inquiry into a bewildering array of charges, including “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
The official letter has already laid a date—August 20, 2024—for Ajaero to present himself at the IRT Complex in Guzape District, Abuja, where he has been labeled a person of interest in a shadowy and serious investigation.
Despite the mounting pressure, the NLC NEC has unanimously resolved that Ajaero should comply with the police request; however, they are preparing to push back, instructing their legal adviser to negotiate for additional time for Ajaero to respond.
Comrade Ado Kabiru Sani, the NLC’s Deputy President, has rallied workers and ally organizations to stay vigilant and ready for immediate action, should the police choose to detain Ajaero, igniting a strike that threatens to reverberate across the nation.
His words: “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.
“In the event that the President is arrested, all workers will down tools immediately. We should wait for further directives from our leadership.”
