In a dramatic turn of events, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was apprehended by the police in Owerri, the capital of Imo State. Ajaero's detention came in the wake of an ongoing protest organised by NLC members in the state.
Reports indicate that the protest was marred by the infiltration of troublemakers who vandalised vehicles and inflicted injuries upon members of the labour union. The NLC had announced its intention to stage a protest in the state on Sunday, citing alleged violations and abuses of the rights and privileges of workers by the state government.
According to sources, Ajaero's arrest occurred as early as 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Workers had gathered at the NLC State Secretariat for the protest when a group of armed individuals stormed the premises, attacked the workers, and dispersed the crowd.
Nevertheless, the workers regrouped at the Secretariat, this time under the leadership of NLC President Ajaero and General Secretary Emma Ugboaja, to proceed with the protest. Just as Ajaero was about to address the assembled crowd, a team of heavily armed police officers arrived and took him into custody, along with some other NLC officials.
During the incident, reports suggest that several gunshots were fired to disperse the gathered workers, heightening tensions.
Benson Upah, the NLC's Head of Information and Publicity, confirmed the situation, explaining, "The NLC President was abducted by heavily armed men, suspected to be police officers, at the Imo State NLC secretariat on Wednesday, just as we were about to commence our lawful protest against the violation of trade union rights of the workers."
Providing further insight into the incident, Chris Onyeka, the NLC Deputy General Secretary and Chief of Staff to the NLC President, recounted the events. "As workers were gathering to protest their mistreatment by the state government in Owerri, Imo State, and the NLC President was about to address the workers, the police intervened amid attacks by thugs to arrest Ajaero. Thugs initially attacked and forcibly removed Ajaero from the platform before the police arrived to arrest him and another senior NLC official," he said.
The situation surrounding Joe Ajaero's detention highlights the growing tensions and challenges faced by labour unions and workers in Nigeria, further emphasising the importance of peaceful and lawful protest in addressing workers' rights and grievances.
