The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday announced that its President, Joe Ajaero would honour the invitation by the Nigeria Police Force on its alleged involvement in terrorism and cybercrime activities.
The Congress, however, described the invitation as unfounded and a politically motivated investigation into alleged terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
Speaking after an emergency NEC meeting, the Deputy President NLC, Ado Sani Minjibir said that rather than issuing the apology demanded by the Congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigeria Police has chosen to embark on a “Spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment, and witch-hunting”.
According to Minjibir, the invitation is nothing but a “travesty and a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of the working people and their leadership” as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98.
Minjibir said Ajaero would honour the invite, adding that this is not an acceptance of the various allegations labelled against the president.
He said, “While noting that we shall honour the Invitation as a responsible labour centre committed to the rule of law and due process, the NLC shall honour the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand for an extension of time given the nature of the invitation.
“However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not in any way legitimize the baseless allegations levelled against him.
“The NEC strongly condemns the continued harassment of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other Labour leaders. We view this as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the labour movement, which has always stood as a bastion of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.
“The NEC warns the state to desist from its evil intentions and stop the ongoing witch-hunt against the leaders of the Congress forthwith. The Congress will not sit idly by while the rights and freedoms of its members and leaders are trampled upon with impunity by the State.”
Speaking further, the NEC directs all its affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilizing their members across the nation, warning that 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 Midnight today,” Minjibir warned.
The NEC calls on all civil society allies and the general populace to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress in this critical moment.
The fight against injustice and oppression is a collective one, and we urge all Nigerians to rise in defence of our shared democratic values.