In a statement signed by the joint Unions’ Secretaries, Emmanuel Ugboaja (NLC) and Nuhu Toro (TUC), the Nigeria Labour Congress has accused the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, of conspiring with the state’s Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Barde, to ‘abduct’ their President, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the state capital, on Wednesday.
The statement reads in part: “Just as Nigerian workers gathered earlier this morning led by the leadership of the two Labour centres to demonstrate our outrage over the serial and habitual abuse and violation of the rights of workers in the state, the government unleashed blood-curdling mayhem on the workers.
“Earlier in the morning, policemen had tried to disperse workers who were gathering at the state NLC secretariat without success. This was followed in the usual manner by ‘thugs’ who were stationed very close to the Secretariat in several Hilux and Toyota trucks.
“These ‘thugs’ were later to unleash mayhem on the few workers who had already gathered, smashing car windscreens, delivering matchet cuts on some, stabbing many, and inflicting all manners of injuries on the workers. GSM handsets were snatched, Laptops taken away, and money were forcefully taken away by the hoodlums.
“As if that damage was not enough, the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, arrived at the venue accompanied by a few individual workers to inspect the carnage and to provide the necessary leadership for the trade union action to continue, only to be met by Policemen of the Imo State Police Command who came in their numbers and in several trucks.”
“The police also came with thugs led by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri, who descended on Ajaero after overpowering the few workers who were left after the initial battering and sustained injuries.
“They (Police) eventually bundled the President into their waiting van and whisked him away to an unknown destination, where he is still being held incommunicado as we write.
“This latest action of the state government and the Police further demonstrates our earlier cries to Nigerians on the level of violence and impunity going on in Imo State. If the President of Congress can be abducted in broad daylight and taken to an unknown destination by the Police and the State Governor, imagine what they have been doing to workers and trade union leaders in the state!
“All we have been asking the Governor is to honour agreements signed between us and to respect the rights of workers in the state. Workers deserve their wages and if you are in the habit of owing workers, you make their lives unstable and strip them of their humanity. These are some of the things we have asked Hope to do but to which he has refused to heed; instead, he believes in the use of intimidation and violence against the workers and the people.”
Labour further called on Tinubu to ensure the release of the Congress’ President with immediate effect while urging the workers across the country to be on alert for nationwide protest if Ajaero is not released before the end of today.
Also, the NLC Head of Information and Publicity, Comrade Benson Upah, described what happened to Ajaero as an act of abduction that degenerated into attempted murder.
“Contact has been made with Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero this evening around 15:30 hours at the Police Hospital in Owerri from where he was taken to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he is receiving medical attention.
“Thoroughly brutalized, his right eye at the time of contact was completely shut.”