President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Joe Ajaero is in a critical condition, as he battles to keep his right eye at the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTHO) Owerri.
Ajaero was taken into protective custody, according to the police at the Imo State headquarters of NLC, New Owerri, where he was manhandled before being whisked away.
In a video clip, Ajaero was sandwiched between two men in a car heading to FUTH Owerri yesterday afternoon.
Clad in his union shirt, he was heard saying he didn’t have any phone on him, but had a relative in the employ of FUTHO who he hoped will be of assistance.
The NLC head of information and publicity, Comrade Benson Upah, described the treatment of Ajaero as an act of abduction that degenerated into attempted murder.
He said, “Contact has been made with congress president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, this evening around 15:30 hours at the Police Hospital in Owerri from where he was taken to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he is receiving medical attention.
“Thoroughly brutalised, his right eye at the time of contact was completely shut.
“Ajaero, who said little, stated that immediately after his arrest, he was beaten up and blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination where more brutalisation took place, sometimes with bottles”.
Meanwhile, his personal items seized from him were yet to be accounted for, as the statement reads: “His phones, money and other personal effects were taken off him and have not been returned to him.”
Consequently, organised labour has asked the Nigerian workers, industrial unions, state councils and branches to be on alert for an immediate nationwide action if Ajaero who was initially alleged by arrested by the police was not released.
In a statement issued after Ajaero was reportedly arrested in Imo State, NLC general-secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, and secretary-general of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Nuhu Toro, insisted that Nigerian workers cannot be at work while NLC national president is held incommunicado.
He said the organised labour cannot be at peace when the government of Imo state continues to disrespect workers and treat them with utter disdain.
“All we have been asking the governor of Imo State 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.
“With this statement, we want to put the Nigerian Government on notice that we want the president of NLC immediately released.
“The injuries meted to him must be treated forthwith and his freedom to lead Nigerian workers in a peaceful protest guaranteed. This is what we demand as we proceed to the meetings of the various Organs to take decisions on further steps that will be taken. If this is not heeded now, anything that happens in the country, the governor of Imo State and the police commissioner must be held responsible,” the statement noted.
In a swift reaction, Imo State Police Command said they did not arrest Ajaero, but he was taken to police protective custody at the police headquarters.
In a release made available to journalists, which was signed by the police public relations officer, ASP Okoye Henry, the command said it wished to clarify some sketchy reports alleging the arrest of the Ajaero in Owerri.
It said, “It is pertinent to state that the NLC president was in Owerri as part of arrangements of the congress to mobilise workers for a mega protest rally in the state.
“In the course of their planning, it was reported that suggestions arose for the lockdown of some essential facilities particularly the airport which led to some workers and other individuals resisting the picketing process leading to scuffles and heated arguments and an eventual attack on the person of the president by a mob.
“Upon receiving this report, the Imo Police Command swiftly deployed police operatives to the scene where the officer in charge exercised his operational discretion by taking the NLC president into protective custody at the State Command Headquarters to ensure the protection of his life and that he was not lynched in the scuffle that followed.
“The commissioner of police thereafter directed that he should be taken to the Police Medical Services, Owerri, where he would be accorded medical attention as a result of the attack. He has therefore been accorded adequate security cover to proceed on his other legitimate engagements for the day.
“It is however necessary to emphasize the existence of a court injunction from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria holden in Owerri with Suit No. NICN/OW/41/2023 dated 27th October, 2023, barring the NLC from holding the intended protest rally in Owerri.”
The commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, urged all concerned parties to ensure compliance with the Court directives so as to avoid jeopardizing the current security arrangements on Owerri and other parts of Imo State.
