One year after President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero was abducted, and brutalised by alleged agents of the state in Owerri, capital of Imo State, the NLC on Friday demanded justice must be served.
A statement signed by the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah on Friday in Abuja, said there was no reason for any Nigerian citizen to undergo the kind of ordeal Ajaero has gone through within the last one year.
Noting other harassment meted out against the Comrade President in the last one-year, Congress noted that Ajaero remains unshaken rather, he remains committed to serving and fighting for the welfare of Nigerian workers and the masses.
The statement reads: “Today marks the first one year anniversary that the NLC President was leading workers to peacefully protest against the non-payment of salaries and pensions in Imo State after exhausting all other processes of dialogue.
“The conditions precedent as prescribed by the law were fully met before the protest notice was sent to the state government. Yet Comrade Joe Ajaero was picked up and beaten like a common felon.
*That the Nigeria Police released him to their medical personnel around 4:30 pm at the Police Clinic underscored the severity of his condition.
“He had to be moved quickly to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri for better management of his condition.
“The entire nation was stunned and outraged by the audacity and impunity of the agents of the state, for not even during the military era was such brutality or bestiality visited on any Labour leader let alone the President of the Nigeria Labour.
“It took more than six months of treatment in and outside the country for Comrade Joe Ajaero to fully regain his sight and functionality of his body. However, while he regained his sight and use of his body, state harassment did not abate.
“In or around August this year, the harassment reached an octane level when he was invited by the Police to defend himself on allegations of terrorism financing, subversion, treasonable felony, etc.
“In a scaled-up operation, he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, detained and prevented from attending a conference in the UK.
“One year after his first major ordeal we are delighted to inform the world that Joe Ajaero remains unbroken and unbowed, totally committed to serving Nigerian workers.
“The NSA gave his word that those involved in the despicable conduct in Imo State would be brought to book. It was the basis for suspending the national protest that followed the brutalisation of Joe Ajaero. It has been one full calendar year and counting.
“But whatever the attitude of the government may be to this, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress unequivocally state that on no condition must this ever happen again.
“This country has so much prospect. There is no reason for any of the citizens to go through what they are going through.”
