The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have declared plans for a nationwide strike starting on Wednesday, November 8, in reaction to the recent abduction and physical assault of their president, Joe Ajaero.
The incident took place on a Wednesday when the Imo State Police Command, reportedly acting on the orders of the State Governor, forcibly took Ajaero from the NLC state council secretariat in Owerri. He was waiting for colleagues to join him for a peaceful protest rally.
According to the labor unions, Ajaero was blindfolded, severely beaten, brutalized, humiliated, and violated by the police personnel. He was then taken to an undisclosed location where he faced further mistreatment and threats of death before receiving assistance from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who ordered his immediate release.
On Friday, the labor unions issued a statement signed by their General Secretaries, Emmanuel Ugboaja and Comrade Nuhu Toro. They warned of an impending nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Wednesday, November 8, should the government fail to address their demands.
The statement read, “We further resolved that in the event the government fails to comply with any or all of the conditions above-stated, NLC, TUC, and their affiliates will no longer guarantee industrial peace in Nigeria beginning Wednesday the 8th of November, 2023. A joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the two Labor Centers will meet to decide on the next course of action.”
The demands put forth by the labor unions include an investigation into and the immediate removal of the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Cp. Ahmed Barde, due to his alleged complicity and unprofessional conduct.
The statement also called for the removal of the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other officers and personnel in Owerri who were involved in the brutalization and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers. They should be relieved of their duties and commissions.
Furthermore, the statement demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr. Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties who supervised the assault on workers and the President.
The unions insisted on an immediate, independent, and impartial professional medical examination for Ajaero to evaluate the extent of the physical and psychological injuries he sustained.
In addition, NLC and TUC called for the treatment of other workers and journalists who had experienced inhumane treatment by the police, the return of their confiscated properties, and the resolution of all outstanding industrial relations issues previously agreed upon.
The unions also addressed allegations that they had disobeyed a court order, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability concerning the circumstances surrounding the court order. They provided a list of grievances that had led to their planned peaceful protest and called for the resolution of these issues.
“Government repeatedly observed in breach agreements it voluntarily reached with Labor, among which was the January 9th, 2021; Non-payment of salaries and pensions for upward of 22 months, and in some instances, 44 months; Declaration of 11,000 hard-working workers as ghost workers and diversion of their salaries or emoluments to other uses; Serial vandalism of Congress secretariat for no just cause.”
