NLC, Ajaero write police over ‘interview’ invitation

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and its president, Joe Ajaero, have written to the police to seek a postponement of the date scheduled for Mr Ajaero to honour their invitation.

He was meant to appear at the Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja on Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the police unit invited Mr Ajaero over allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.

A letter from the IRT, signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Adamu Muazu, directed Mr Ajaero to appear for an interview at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the IRT complex located at Guzape Junction in Abuja.

However, the NLC’s legal team replied to the police on Tuesday, saying Mr Ajaero could not honour the invitation as scheduled “in view of the fact that your invitation letter was received by him yesterday (Monday).”

“He has an engagement that had been fixed before the receipt of the invitation letter,” read the letter signed by Samuel Ogala, a lawyer from the law firm of Femi Falana, a prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Nine-day extension

The letter sought a nine-day postponement of Mr Ajaero’s appearance for the interview.

“Therefore, Comrade Ajaero is prepared for your interview on Wednesday, 29 August 2024,” the letter said.

It also requested the police to provide “the details and nature of the allegations of Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion and Cybercrime levelled against him”. The letter said the request is based on section 36 of the Nigerian constitution.

“While awaiting your positive response to this letter, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem,” the letter added.

Threat of strike, protest

Meanwhile, the NLC threatened on Tuesday to embark on a nationwide strike and protests should the police detain or harm Mr Ajaero or any of its leaders in the aftermath of the invitation.

“This is a red line. If anything happens to our president or any of our leaders, we will shut down the country,” read a communique from the emergency meeting of NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Tuesday.

The police had threatened to arrest Mr Ajaero if he did not honour their invitation by 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

During a visit to the NLC secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, a PREMIUM TIMES reporter saw Mr Ajaero signing some documents on the 10th floor of the building.

When approached by our reporter, the NLC president declined to comment on the police invitation but confirmed his intention to cooperate with the authorities.

In reaction to the police threat to arrest him, the NLC leadership said in its communique on Tuesday that it had directed all affiliates and state councils to “immediately commence the process of mobilising their members across the nation.”

“The Congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.

“If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the Congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the state; NEC puts all its affiliates and state councils to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action by 12:00 midnight today (Tuesday),” the communique added.

The union condemned the police summons of Mr Ajaero as politically motivated, adding that it is “a deliberate attempt to destabilise the labour movement.”