Following police invitation of the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, over terrorism financing allegations, the organised labour is, once again, attempting to not only disrupt the relative industrial peace in the country but further ruin the nation’s dwindling economy. The police had earlier invited Ajaero for an “interview” on charges connected to, among other crimes, criminal conspiracy terrorism, and cybercrime.
The letter of invitation, dated August 19, 2024, and signed by ACP Adamu Mu’azu on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Intelligence, said Ajaero’s name was mentioned in ongoing investigations that relate to “Criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, reasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime”. The letter directed Ajaero to report at the IRT Complex, Abbattoir by Guzape Junction on Tuesday, August 20 at 10am; threatening that a warrant of arrest would be issued against him if he failed to report.
It would be recalled that security agents, on July 7, 2024 conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja. According to the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, the operatives burst into the building at about 8.30pm and arrested the security guards; forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor. Upah said some of the security operatives were from the Nigeria Police Force, while others wearing black tee-shirts were presumably from the Department of State Services (DSS). He said there were others too in outright mufti.
The police took responsibility for the operation, saying it was aimed at uncovering incriminating documents that could help build a case against an international “subversive” figure considered a threat to Nigeria’s democracy. Reacting to the raid, the NLC rejected the explanation offered by the police and demanded the release of its arrested members and seized documents.
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Speaking after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC at the Labour House in Abuja, Deputy President of the NLC, Kabiru Ado Sani, said the Union agreed to abide by 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.” He said Ajaero had less than 24 hours between the receipt of the invitation and the time to report to the police.
“Secondly, we resolved that in an event our congress president was arrested or detained at any moment, we put our affiliates on red alert to mobilise our membership across the country, that all workers in this country should down tool their services,” Sani threatened. Similarly, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), has threatened to equally shut down the power sector if Ajaero is arrested by the police.
Reacting in a statement, NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Igwebike Dominic, said the union noted with utter dismay the political machinations surrounding the police invitation of the NLC president, describing the action as “A purported fall out of the politically-motivated investigation into an alleged trump up charges.”
Nigerians consider government accusations against Ajaero to be too heavy-handed in a time like this when the country is at a very low ebb. Government is seen to be over-reaching itself in its attempt to silence powerful voices such as the NLC. While the police, like other security agencies, have the right to invite anyone for questioning, the fact that the police raided NLC premises a day after the union held a press conference on August 7, stating its position on the hunger protest suggests a deliberate effort at clamping down on the organised labour. The NLC had said government should hold itself accountable for whatever happen in the #EndBadGovernance# protest. The threat by the police to arrest Ajaero is also intimidating and unnecessary.
The separate resolutions by the NLC and the NUEE to shut the country’s economy down over police invitation of Ajaero is also not the way to go. The organised labour has taken Nigerians for granted for too long. They have over-exploited the right to go on strike; most often at the expense of Nigeria’s economy. The country has suffered enough economic loss from the many strikes embarked upon by the organised labour. The police allegation against Ajaero, in itself, is a legal matter and should, therefore, be pursued in that direction.
It is important for the government to stop its ambush on the organised labour. Democracy allows citizens freedom of association. While we urge the police to stop intimidating those who speak for the ordinary Nigerians, we also advise the NLC president to honour police invitation. The rule of law should prevail as it concerns all the parties.
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