Ajaero assault: Labour orders power supply shutdown, flight suspension to Imo

The organised labour on Tuesday directed its members in the power sector to shut down electricity and fuel supplies in Imo State over the brutalisation of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, last week allegedly by the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.

The labour movement, comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) also directed aviation workers to ensure that flights into and outside the state are suspended till further notice.

The directive was one of the resolutions reached during an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting summoned by both the TUC and NUC on Tuesday afternoon after the expiration of a five-day ultimatum earlier given following the brutal attack on Ajaero by the police in Owerri, Imo State capital.

Reading the resolutions of the NEC meeting to journalists at Labour House Tuesday evening, the President of TUC, Festus Osifo, also declared that the movement had resolved to begin a nationwide strike on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

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Labour declares nationwide strike over attack on Ajero

“The NEC-in-session orders the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State beginning midnight today. All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are.

“All flights into and out of Imo state, fuel supplies and Electricity be stopped immediately as applicable. All Public and Private Sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely.

“That if our demands are still unmet, workers all over the federation shall join in withdrawing their services by Midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, 2023.

“All State Councils of NLC & TUC and affiliates are by this resolution mandated to ensure full compliance with NEC’s decision,” Osifo, who was flanked by Deputy President of NLC, Adewale Adeyanju and other labour leaders said this during the briefing.

He said the two major labour unions had begun nationwide mobilisation of members and allies immediately.

Daily Trust had reported that there had been widespread outrage by the Organised Labour after the attack, accusing the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mohammed Barde, of complicity in the recent attack.

Last Friday, the labour movement handed the Federal Government a five-day ultimatum to replace the police commissioner, while it also fingered governor of the State, Hope Uzodimma in the incident.

Uzodinma, who is seeking re-election in the State had since said he had no hand in the attack on the labour leader.

Parts of the demands of the Organised Labour was the arrest and prosecution of some of the governor’s aides as well as redeployment of the CP.

Already, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday, redeployed Barde for “neutrality sake” ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State.

Osifo added that the government had continued prevalence of the use of violence and impunity in negotiating rights and interests within the nation’s socio-economic space against all known dictates of democracy and Social Dialogue.