The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has hailed the labour movement as the most patriotic organization in the country, pledging that the union will not compromise its commitment regardless of the challenges it faces.

Ajaero made this statement while addressing a crowd of labour members at the NLC headquarters on Thursday, following his visit to the police. He emphasized the labour movement's dedication and unwavering patriotism from the colonial era through the military regime, asserting, “The labour movement is worth dying for due to its patriotism and commitment. We are more patriotic than any other institution in this country, and we will continue to be so.”

He reassured the members that despite facing questioning related to allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony, his focus remains on advocating for better welfare for Nigerian workers. Ajaero compared the police invitation to past challenges he faced, including his imprisonment during General Sani Abacha’s regime in the 1990s.

Ajaero expressed gratitude to NLC members for their support and solidarity, both at the headquarters and nationwide. He stated that his return signifies a continued commitment to the labour movement's cause, promising to ignore any attempts to distract from their mission.

His recent police invitation, which garnered significant attention, was criticized by the NLC and Amnesty International Nigeria as politically motivated harassment. The NLC National Executive Council has condemned the allegations against Ajaero as fabricated, while Amnesty International denounced the move as an attempt to intimidate union leaders.