Police Arrests NLC President Joe Ajaero In Imo
President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero has been allegedly arrested in Imo State.
Nigerian workers had gathered earlier this morning (Wednesday) led by the leadership of the two labour centres to demonstrate their outrage over the alleged abuse and violation of the rights of workers in the state.
A statement jointly signed by the General Secretary (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja and Secretary General (TUC), said Comrade Nuhu Toro said: “Earlier in the morning, Police men had tried to disperse workers who were gathering at the state NLC secretariat without success. This was followed in the usual manner by thugs who were stationed very close to the Secretariat in several Hilux and Toyota trucks.
“These thugs were later to unleash mayhem on the few workers who had already gathered smashing car windscreens, delivering matchet cuts on some, stabbing many, and inflicting all manners of injuries on the workers. GSM handsets were snatched, Laptops taken away and monies were forcefully taken away by the hoodlums.
“As if that damage was not enough, the President of the NLC; comrade Joe Ajaero arrived the venue accompanied by few individual workers to inspect the carnage and to provide the necessary leadership for the trade union action to continue only to be met by Police men of the Imo state Police Command who came in their numbers and in several trucks.
“They eventually bundled the President into their waiting van and whisked him away to unknown destination where he is still being held incommunicado as we write.”
They continued: “All we have been asking the Governor is to honour agreements signed between us and to respect the rights of workers in the state. Workers deserve their wage and if you are in the habit of owing workers, you make their lives unstable and strip them of their humanity. These are some of the things we have asked Hope to do but to which he has refused to heed instead, he believes in the use of intimidation and violence against the workers and the people.
“We call on Nigerian workers, wherever they may be; in the respective industrial Unions; the state Councils and the Branches to be on alert for an immediate nationwide action if by the end of today, the President of the Congress is not released. We cannot be at work while our President is in the gulag and we cannot be at peace when the Government of Imo state continues to disrespect workers and treat them with utter disdain.” The statement reads.
