The Nigeria Police Force, on Wednesday, arrested the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The Head of Information of the NLC, Benson Upah, confirmed the arrest of the NLC president.
“President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero was picked up a few minutes ago from NLC state council secretariat by heavily armed policemen in Owerri and taken to an unknown destination,” Mr Upah told Punch newspaper.
Background
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Ajaero had, during a news conference on Sunday in Abuja, said the NLC would begin protests in Imo State from 1 November over an alleged violation and abuse of rights and privileges of workers by the state government.
The NLC president said the protest was imperative as the government of the state had refused to implement previous agreements.
According to him, the government has repeatedly reneged on agreements, most notably the accord reached on 9 January 2021, between the state government and organised labour.
However, labour leaders in Imo State told the NLC national president that they would not join the protest in the state.
In a statement on Tuesday which was jointly signed by its Acting Chairperson, Marcus Opara and spokesperson, Ngozi Nani, the labour union in Imo State maintained that the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, was doing his “best in taking care of the welfare of workers” in the state, including payment of salaries and pensions.
The union also said it was served with a notice of court injunction on 27 October from the Industrial Court in Owerri.
“Therefore, on this premise, all ministries, departments, and agencies, local government workers, teachers are hereby directed to be at their respective duty post from 1 November 2023 and are directed not to participate in any occupy Imo for there is no reason for such action(s),” they said in the statement.
Credit: premiumtimesng.com
