Miffed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero’s invitation on Tuesday by the police over terrorism allegation, the union has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike and ground the economy of the country if their leader was arrested and detained.
After its emergency National Executive Council on Tuesday, presided over by the deputy President, Kabiru Sani, the NLC directed members and all workers in the country to shut down the economy if anything happened to Ajaero.
The NEC resolved to write to the police for an extension of time to enable the union to consult its lawyers, just as they pledged to be law-abiding.
Sani said: “At the end of the meeting, we reached some certain resolutions. Part of the resolution is that, as a committed labour centre, we agreed that we will be law-abiding and obey the rule of law and due process.”
“We will honour the invitation of the Nigerian police because we are not a faceless organisation, but we believe that we need an extension of time, after consultation with our lawyers, because this invitation was extended to the Congress’s President yesterday and was asked to report at the police by 10 a.m. today,” he added.
“So we are already working with our lawyers to look for extension of time, but this does not legitimise the charges by the Nigerian police to the Congress leadership.
“Also, we resolved that in an event our Congress President was arrested or detained at any moment, we would put our affiliates on red alert to mobilise our members across the country, that all workers in this country should down tool and withdraw their services.”
He charged members to be on alert and that further decisions would be communicated through their leadership.
He also urged their members to remain peaceful, law abiding and wait for further directives.
Recall that the Police on Monday extended an invitation to Comrade Joe Ajaero, NLC president, accusing him of terrorism financing, treasonable felony, and cybercrime, among others.
Meanwhile, a rights activist and lawyer to the NLC, Chief Femi Falana, has explained to the police why Ajaero could not honour their invitation at the force headquarters on Tuesday.
According to him, the NLC President had fixed an engagement for August 20 before the Police invitation was sent to him on Monday.
He, however, promised to be available at the Police headquarters on August 29.
Recall that the Police had, on Tuesday night, invited the NLC President to its headquarters for questioning over allegations of involvement in terrorism financing, cybercrime, and criminal conspiracy treasonable offences.
Following Ajaero’s alleged involvement in terrorism financing and other treasonable offences and his invitation by the police for questioning, the NLC convened an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Labour House, where the Congress resolved to write to the Police for an extension of time to enable it to consult with its lawyers.
In a communique issued at the end of the emergency Zoom NEC meeting, which lasted about two hours on Tuesday, the labour centre condemned what it described as continued harassment of the Congress leadership and other Labour leaders.
It viewed the action as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the labour movement, which has always stood as a beacon of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.
The communique read: “The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on the recent developments surrounding the Nigeria Police Force’s invitation of the President of the Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
“This invitation is premised on a clearly unfounded and politically motivated investigation into alleged terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
“The NEC notes with grave concern that rather than extending the apology demanded by the Congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigeria Police has chosen to embark on this spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment and witch-hunting.
“This is nothing but a travesty and a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of the working people and their leadership, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98. In light of this, the NEC of the NLC resolves the following:
“We shall honour the invitation: As a responsible labour centre committed to the rule of law and due process, the NLC shall honour the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand an extension of time given the nature of the invitation.
“However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not legitimise the baseless allegations levelled against him.”
While condemning the alleged harassment of labour leaders by the government, the Congress stressed further: “The NEC strongly condemns the continued harassment of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other Labour leaders. We view this as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the Labour movement, which has always stood as a bastion of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.”
The Congress called on those behind the alleged harassment of labour leaders to desist from such actions.
“The NEC warns the states to desist from its evil intentions and stop the ongoing witch-hunt against the leaders of the Congress forthwith. The Congress will not sit idly while the rights and freedoms of its members and leaders are trampled upon with impunity by the State.
“The NEC directs all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilizing their members across the nation. The Congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.
“If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the Congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the State, the NEC will ask all its affiliates and state councils to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike by midnight today (yesterday).
“The NEC calls on all civil society allies and the general populace to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress in this critical moment. The fight against injustice and oppression is a collective one, and we urge all Nigerians to rise in defence of our shared democratic values.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress remains resolute in its commitment to defending the rights and interests of workers and the Nigerian people. We shall not be cowed or intimidated by these desperate attempts to silence us. We uphold justice, fairness, and the rule of law in our beloved country.”
While briefing workers who had assembled at the Labour House in solidarity with the Congress President and followed him to the Police headquarters, the NLC Deputy President, Kabiru Ado Sani, said that the invitation to Ajaero was an invitation to workers.
“At the end of the meeting, we reached some resolutions. Part of the resolution is that, as a committed labour centre, we agreed or that we abide by the rule of law and due process, Sani said.”
Meanwhile, rights activist and lawyer to the NLC, Falana, in a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, through the DCP Mohammed Ahmed Sanusi, has requested the Police to furnish him with details of the allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime levelled against him.
The letter titled: “Re: Letter of invitation,” signed by Samuel Ogala, reads: “We are Solicitors to the Nigeria Labour Congress and its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on whose behalf we write this letter regarding the above subject matter.
“We have the instructions of Comrade Joe Ajaero to inform you that he cannot honour your invitation on Tuesday, August 20 because your invitation letter was received by him yesterday. He has an engagement that had been fixed before receiving the invitation letter.
“Therefore, Comrade Ajaero is prepared for your interview on Wednesday, August 29, 2024. Furthermore, by the provisions of section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as altered, Comrade Ajaero requests for the details and nature of the allegations of Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion, and Cybercrime levelled against him.
“While awaiting your positive response to this letter, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.”
