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The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has declared it won’t be intimidated by the authorities’ latest move to summon its leader, Joe Ajaero, on a raft of charges. The police allegations, ranging from conspiracy to cybercrime, have been dismissed by the NLC as a thinly veiled attempt to stifle its voice and undermine its influence.
Undeterred by the recent police summons, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to challenging the Federal Government’s policies, which it believes are perpetuating widespread suffering and hunger. The NLC asserts that certain vested interests are hell-bent on silencing its leadership and stifling its voice.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on its affiliates to be prepared to take drastic measures, including shutting down the economy, if the police arrest its leader, Joe Ajaero.
Human rights advocate and lawyer, Chief Femi Falana, SAN, has explained the circumstances surrounding NLC President Joe Ajaero’s failure to appear at the Force Headquarters yesterday.
According to Falana, Ajaero has a prior engagement and will only be available to appear on August 29.A chorus of disapproval has erupted from global workers’ groups and civil society organizations in Nigeria, including Amnesty International Nigeria and Action.
Aid, following the police summons of NLC President Joe Ajaero. These groups view the move as a heavy-handed attempt to suppress the labour movement’s advocacy work.
Read also: Police Invite NLC’s Ajaero For Alleged Terror Funding
One of the leaders of NLC, told the press that: “There are grand designs by some interest groups to silence NLC under the current leadership. But they fail to understand that we cannot be silenced.
“We are fighting a just cause. We have the right to express our views in a democracy. The workers elected us to fight and make demands for them. They are hungry, they are suffering, and they are dying and are in pain. These are what we are telling the government which they do not want to hear. These are the reasons they are after us, trying to cow us by all means.
“The operator of the bookshop (Iva Valley) has been on the second floor of Labour House for years. We did not bring him there. If he has issues with the police, what concerns us? We believe the state is using this as a cover-up. They aim to emasculate Labour because of their vested interest.”
Meanwhile, NLC has intimated the international community, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, and the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, over the harassment, intimidation, and Police summoning of its President, Joe Ajaero over alleged criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime.
Furthermore, Deji Adeyanju, a leading human rights activist, led a delegation of lawyers and civil society organizations to the Labour House yesterday, in a move to demonstrate their unwavering support for the NLC.
The group, comprising members of the Abuja Human Rights Lawyers and CSOs, pledged to provide solidarity to NLC President Joe Ajaero by accompanying him to the police station whenever he honors the invitation.
