By Uche Amunike
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero has been invited by the police, Monday, for an ‘interview’ concerning charges connected to ‘criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, cybercrime and subversion.
This was disclosed by Spokesperson for the NLC, Benson Upah, through a statement signed and released to newsmen.
According to the letter, the NLC President is to report to the IRT Complex, Abbatoir by Guzape Junction on Tuesday, August 20 by 10am, with threats that if he failed to report, a warrant for his arrest would be issued against him.
The statement partly read: ‘A personal message sent to. Comrade Joe Ajaero by SP Moshood said, ‘We were at the Labour House to submit this (letter of invitation) but the place was locked, sir’.
‘We find this curious because staff were in the office beyond 6 pm. We also note that Comrade Joe Ajaero was not addressed by his official title of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress.’
It further stated: ‘Clearly, the last has not been heard about the raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress.’
‘Preceding the raid, the Congress had advised the government to have a dialogue with the organisers of the (hunger) protest even as the congress had clearly stated it was not part of the protest.’
‘The congress criticised the police for the high casualty rate during the protest. The congress, in its NEC communique after the raid, expressed outrage at the behaviour of the police and demanded an apology from both the police and the government.’
‘At its world press conference last Thursday, the congress had raised the alarm that should anything happen to the leadership of the congress or any of its members, the police should be held accountable.’
‘The question on the lips of those in the know is: Who wants Joe Ajaero out of circulation?’
Recall that security agents conducted a night raid on the NLC National Secretariat in Abuja on July 7, at about 8.30pm and arrested the security guards, forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor.
According to Upah: ‘The security operatives, some from the Nigeria Police Force, some wearing black tee-shirts, presumably from the Department of State Services, and others on outright mufti, swooped on the 10th Floor of the NLC and arrested the security operative on duty and then commandeered him to the second floor where he was asked to produce the keys to the offices.’
The police accepted that they carried out the operation with the objective of uncovering incriminating documents that will help them to build a case against an international ‘subversive’ figure that was considered as a threat to the country’s democracy.
The NLC refused to accept the explanation given by the police on the raid and asked for the release of its arrested members and seized documents.
They also condemned attempts made by the government to interfere with their internal affairs including a proposed reduction in the tenure of trade union leaders.
