In Owerri, Imo state, the police have detained Comrade Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Ajaero was taken into custody during the continuing protest on Wednesday, November 1, as Vanguard reported.
The NLC President was taken away by heavily armed security people, and it is unknown where he is currently.
Information surfaced that vandals attacked demonstrators, destroying cars and wounding laborers. Ajaero was detained by heavily armed agents at the NLC State Council Secretariat, according to a different account published by The Nation.
The Head of Media at the NLC Headquarters, Benson Uper, who confirmed Ajaero’s arrest said: “President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero was picked up a few minutes ago from NLC state council secretariat by heavily armed policemen in Owerri and taken to an unknown destination.”
“As a result, we are left with no choice but to embark on mass protests and industrial actions beginning on the 1st day of November 2023. NLC gives fresh condition to attend meeting with FG Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that NLC threatened to shun the meeting with the Federal government if the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong will be part of the meeting on Monday, October 30.
This was said by Ajaero on Sunday, October 28, when speaking to journalists on the difficulties faced by Imo workers. He grounded the NLC ruling on the minister’s violation of the agreement regarding the contentious matter dividing the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) membership.
