Adebayo Adenrele
The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has alerted union members of potential strike should the Nigerian Police Force detain its president, Joe Ajaero.
This was contained in an emergency national executive council meeting of NLC held at its headquarters and sighed by its deputy president, Comrade Ado Minjibir.
Recall that the Nigerian Police Force on Monday summoned Ajaero for investigation into terrorism financing, treasonable felony, and cybercrime allegations.
The unionists said the strike would begin on Tuesday midnight “if anything happens to the president of the congress”.
The NLC in its emergency meeting discussed the invitation of its president by the Nigeria Police Force on alleged terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy and treasonable felony, raising concerns that the police’s actions were not in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98.
According to them, they will honour the invitation but will demand an extension of time due to the nature of the invitation.
They unanimously condemn the continued harassment of the leadership of the NLC and other Labour leaders as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilise the labour movement.
The NEC calls for the state to desist from its ‘evil intentions’ and stop the ongoing witch-hunt against the Congress leaders.
The NLC has directed all affiliates and state councils to mobilise their members nationwide take necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.