Tension is mounting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and other states across Nigeria as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, responds to a police summons today, Thursday.
This follows the NLC’s announcement of a planned nationwide solidarity action in response to the Nigeria Police Force’s invitation of Ajaero on allegations of terrorism financing.
Details of the planned action were shared in a notice issued on Wednesday by NLC General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja.
The NLC has instructed its affiliates and state councils to mobilize members both in Abuja and nationwide to show their support.
“In response to the recent summons by the Nigeria Police Force for our President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to appear for interrogation on trumped-up charges on Thursday, August 29, 2024, we call on all NLC affiliates and state councils to mobilize their members in Abuja and across the states to show solidarity,” the circular read in part.
The NLC further directed that all Central Working Committee (CWC) members and others in Abuja should assemble at the NLC National Headquarters by 8 a.m. to accompany Ajaero to the police for the scheduled meeting.
This summons comes after the police had previously requested Ajaero’s presence on August 20, 2024, over alleged involvement in terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony. However, Ajaero, through his lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana, requested to reschedule the meeting to August 29 due to prior commitments.
The police’s invitation of Ajaero follows a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja, where the authorities claimed they were searching for seditious materials related to the recent #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.
