Following the kidnapping and attack of NLC President Joe Ajaero last week, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have threatened to halt economic operations nationwide beginning November 14.

The congresses have also ordered the immediate withdrawal of services and the closure of Imo State, which will begin at midnight today.

They asked employees and affiliates to comply and ordered that all flights into and out of Imo State, as well as fuel and electrical supply, be halted immediately.

Adewale Adeyanju, Deputy President of the National Labour Congress (NLC), and Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), spoke at a combined National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja yesterday.

They stated that, in addition to the action in Imo, if all demands are not satisfied, workers across the federation will withdraw their services by Tuesday, November 14 at midnight.

During the discussion, the unions reviewed Ajaero’s kidnapping and the violence inflicted on him and other workers gathered in the NLC Imo State secretariat.

They claimed that the crimes were committed by the Imo State administration, with the governor’s approval and in coordination with the Nigeria Police.

They claimed that the decision to go on strike in Imo was made only in accordance with an earlier resolution.

According to the unions, the administration has regularly broken agreements, most notably the deal struck between the government and organized labour on January 9, 2021.

They claimed that the state owed them salary arrears and that some employees had been subjected to 20 months of unpaid wages after being unfairly classified as “ghost workers.”