NLC President, Joe Ajaero | Photo: Channelstv
Ajaero was picked up from the NLC State Council Secretariat by heavily armed policemen in Owerri
By Valentine Amanze
Eleven days to the governorship election in Imo State, the Police have whisked away the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the state capital.
The Labour leader was said to be preparing for a major protest, ‘‘Occupy Imo’’, in Owerri along with other officials on Wednesday November 1, 2023 before the Police picked him up at the NLC State Council Secretariat to an unknown location.
The Head of Media at the NLC Headquarters, Benson Uper, confirmed the arrest on Wednesday.
He told Channelstv that the NLC was leading a statewide protest and strike in Owerri over lack of respect for workers, unpaid salaries and pensions, among others.
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A source in Owerri told Nigeria News Flight that the police arrested Ajaero on allegation that the labour leader disobeyed an existing court order by the National Industrial Court restraining the NLC and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) from carrying out any protest in the state.
While the whereabouts of Ajaero is still unknown, the police spokesperson in Imo, Henry Okoye, told the Channelstv that he had no information on the arrest of the labour leader yet, assuring that he would make the information available as soon as he gets a clear picture of the situation.
But in a statement on Wednesday, NLC and TUC national leaderships in AbuJa accused the Imo State Government of intimidation against trade unions in the state.
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