Di Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), don threaten indefinite nationwide strike if anytin happun to dia congress president Joe Ajaero or any oda union leader.
NLC bin tok dis one afta dem call one emergency meeting to discuss di Nigeria Police Force invitation to dia national president on Tuesday.
On Monday, police invite Ajaero for investigate on top allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy and treasonable felony.
Di invitation letter wey dem date 19 August 2024, wey ACP Adamu Muazu bin sign on behalf of di Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team, order Ajaero to present imsef for questioning by 10:00 on Tuesday.
Di letter also add say if im no show, dem go issue warrant of arrest on do labour leader.
Inside one statement wey dem release afta di emergency meeting, di union make some resolutions.
Di union say all dia affiliate and state councils dey on standby to begin indefinite strike by 12 midnight on Tuesday, if anything happun to dia president or any oda union member.
NLC say, as law abiding pipo wey dem be, dia president go honour di invitation, but dem demand say make police extend di time, come add say dis acceptance no mean say di “baseless allegations” pure.
E no end dia, dem also condemn wetin dem describe as “continued harassment of di leadership of di NLC and oda labour leaders.”
“NEC direct all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence di process of mobilizing dia members across di nation. Di Congress no go hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect di integrity and independence of di labour movement. If anything happen to di President of di Congress or any oda leader of di Congress in furtherance of dis allegations by di State; NEC put all im affiliates and state councils to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action by 12:00 Midnight today.” Di statement add.
NEC also call on all civil society allies and di general populace to stand in solidarity with di Nigeria Labour Congress in dis critical moment.
Last week, di police raid di national headquarters of labour on top allegation say dem dey pursue one international criminal wey be threat to di kontri.
NLC bin react by demanding apology from di security agents.
But for dia recent statement, di labour union say, instead of apology, di police dey intimidate, harass and witch-hunt dem.
Meanwhile, Amnesty condemn di Nigeria police action against Joe Ajaero.
For inside one statement, wey di director of di organisation, Isa Sanusi sign, e describe di police action as Nigeria goment attempt to intimidate union for di kontri.
Sanusi say, “Amnesty International dey deeply concerned about Nigerian authorities fresh attempts to further intimidate and harass Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) through threats of arrest of im President Joe Ajaero.”
E add say under international human rights law and African Charter on Human and Pipo Right, goment no fit target workers for union activities.
“In di last one year, Amnesty International don observe increasing attempts by di Nigerian government to silence di umbrella labour union, through trying by hook and crook to use state institutions to discredit dem. Dis na a new low for dis government human rights records.
“For Nov. last year, police in connivance with thugs sponsored by Imo state government in Owerri beat di President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Mr. Joe Ajaero and blindfold am. No one don dey held to account for di assault. Recently, Nigeria Police raid di headquarters of NLC and carry away documents and books.” Amnesty statement tok.
Meanwhile, Police no respond to calls to tok more about di reason for inviting di NLC leader for questioning.
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