Ajaero’s Attack: NLC, TUC Begins Nationwide Strike
In response to the brutalisation of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, along with some workers and journalists in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, organised labour has presented a list of demands that they insist must be met.
They warned of potential economic disruptions starting from next Wednesday, the 8th of November, if their demands are not addressed.
In a joint briefing, Deputy Presidents of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrades Adewale Adeyanju and Etim Oko, expressed their disappointment on the deafening silence of the federal government, and the extent to which men of the Nigeria Police in Owerri could go in meting out harm to peaceful protesters and newsmen in a bid to ensure evidence of their acts were confiscated.
Labour noted it was “irritated” by the defence put forward by the Imo State Police Command which claimed that they had placed Ajaero in protective custody, from which had emerged “battered, concussed, puffed-eyed, debilitated and condemned”. The National Security Adviser, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, had to intervene and order his immediate release.
According to labour, Ajaero who was blindfolded, beaten to a pulp, brutalised, humiliated, and violated by police personnel before he was taken to an unknown destination where he was subjected to more battering and torture, could not recognise the people around him neither could he walk without being aided or supported when he was released.
At first contact with him at the Police Hospital at 3:30 pm, Ajaero was described as having a puffed right eye that was black and shut, one of his ears had a tiny trace of dried blood, his speech was slurred and incoherent even as he had welts all over him before he was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he was referred for ophthalmic investigation, a head and brain scan, a full body scan, Chest X-Ray, a full body scan and cervical spine therapy among other investigations and promptly fitted with a neck collar.
The demands read in full: “The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command; CP Ahmed Barde should not only be investigated and deployed out of Imo State for his serial complicitous and unprofessional behaviour and conduct immediately;
“The Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other Officers and Men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers be relieved of his office and stripped of his commission;
“Mr Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties who supervised the terror on workers and bestial brutality meted out to Congress President; Comrade Joe Ajaero be arrested immediately and prosecuted for his crimes against workers and the President.
“We demand an immediate, independent and unbiased thorough professional medical examination of Comrade Ajaero in light of the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on him.
“Other workers and journalists subjected to this inhuman treatment by the Police and the Hope Uzodimma’s goons be treated by the State and all the properties lost be restored immediately.
“All the outstanding Industrial Relations issues as previously agreed with the Imo state Government be implemented immediately.
“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 while a joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the two Labour Centres will meet to decide on the next course of action.”
Labour further noted, “We find it appropriate to let Nigerians know the sequence of events that led to our going to Owerri for a peaceful protest but which was aborted by the police and hoodlums recruited by the State Governor. This has become necessary so they do not fall victim to the government’s propaganda or Police’s disinformation and misinformation
“We heard police fiction that we disobeyed a court order but we want to know which court order. Our lawyer was in court last week and the matter was adjourned to today.
“Let us assume there was a court order. When was it granted and where was it granted? How was the order obtained and on whom was it served and when?”
Labour also stated: “Comrade Ajaero was not the only one beaten and arrested by the police but he was the major target and thus received the most bestial and reprehensive treatment. He was stripped of his dignity as a human being and as President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). He was also stripped of his personal items including phones, money and other electronic gadgets. His Vehicle was smashed and Tyres ripped open.
“Others who were also beaten by the police included workers, the TVC Crew who were arrested and detained, they had their cameras seized for filming and being in possession of evidence the police would not want the world to see. The Arise TV crew narrowly escaped being brutalised.
“Earlier, hoodlums sent by the State Governor had stationed themselves around the streets leading to the Secretariat, were beating up workers who had reported at the secretariat and dispossessing them of their personal items including money, phones and Laptops.
“We are worried that it has become criminal for workers in Nigeria to gather for a peaceful protest when Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and the International Conventions like the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights including ILO conventions 87 and 98 guarantees the rights to Freedom of Association and the Right to Bargain collectively. It is more absurd that these infractions will even happen at all and still continues to happen especially when Nigeria seats as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the ILO.”
