Ajaero’s Attack: ‘No Retract, No Surrender’ As NLC, TUC Give Tough Conditions For Ceasefire

…Announce plans for nationwide strike beginning Wednesday

By Jimisayo Opanuga

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have announced plans for a nationwide strike beginning on Wednesday, November 8, in response to the recent abduction and physical assault of their president, Joe Ajaero.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, when the Imo State Police Command, allegedly acting on the orders of the State Governor, abducted Ajaero from the NLC state council secretariat in Owerri, where he was waiting for colleagues to join him for a peaceful protest rally.

According to the labour unions, Ajaero was blindfolded, beaten to a pulp, brutalised, humiliated, and violated by the police personnel and taken to an unknown destination where he was subjected to more battering and torture as well as threatened with death before “help” came his way via the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who ordered his immediate release.

The labour union issued a statement on Friday, signed by their General Secretaries, Emmanuel Ugboaja and Comrade Nuhu Toro, warning of an impending nationwide strike set to commence on Wednesday, November 8, should the government fail to address their demands.

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“We further resolved that in the event the government fails to comply with any or all of the conditions above-stated, NLC, TUC and their affiliates will no longer guarantee industrial peace in Nigeria beginning Wednesday the 8th of November, 2023, while a joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the two Labour Centres will meet to decide on the next course of action,” the statement read.

The demands made by the labour unions included a call for the investigation and immediate removal of the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Cp. Ahmed Barde, due to his alleged complicity and unprofessional conduct.

“The Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other officers and men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers be relieved of his office and stripped of his commissions,” it stated.

“Mr Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties who supervised the terror on workers and bestial brutality meted out to Congress President; Comrade Joe Ajaero be arrested immediately and prosecuted for his crimes against workers and the President.”

The unions insisted on an immediate, independent, and unbiased professional medical examination for Ajaero to assess the extent of the physical and psychological injuries he suffered.

Additionally, the NLC and TUC demanded the treatment of other workers and journalists who had experienced inhumane treatment by the police, the restoration of their confiscated properties, and the implementation of all outstanding industrial relations issues previously agreed upon.

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The unions also addressed allegations that they had disobeyed a court order, stressing the need for transparency and accountability regarding the circumstances surrounding the court order, provided a list of grievances that had led to their planned peaceful protest and called for the resolution of these issues.

“ Government repeatedly observed in breach agreements it voluntarily reached with Labour amongst which was the January 9th 2021; Non-payment of salaries and pensions for upward of 22 months ….in some instances, 44 months; Declaration of 11,000 hard-working workers as ghost workers and diversion of their salaries or emoluments to other uses; Serial vandalism of Congress secretariat for no just cause.”

(Guardian, excluding headline)