The labour movement on Tuesday insisted that it will not be silenced by state-sponsored harassment, intimidation, attacks and persecution. This came as a result of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero’s invitation by the police on allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime,
The NLC maintained their commitment on its opposition to mass suffering and hunger occasioned by the anti-people policies of the Federal Government, NLC posits that it won’t give up despite the efforts of some interest groups trying to silence the current leadership of Congress.
Following the refusal of Ajaero to honour Police invitation to appear at the Force Headquarters yesterday, NLC threatened economy shutdown by affiliates in the case of Ajaero’s arrest by the police.
Human rights activist and lawyer to the NLC, Chief Femi Falana, SAN, explained that Ajaero can only appear on August 29.
According to Vanguard report, one of the leaders of NLC said “There are grand designs by some interest groups to silence NLC under the current leadership. But they fail to understand that we cannot be silenced.
“We are fighting a just cause. We have the right to express our views in a democracy. The workers elected us to fight and make demands for them. They are hungry, they are suffering, and they are dying and are in pain. These are what we are telling the government which they do not want to hear. These are the reasons they are after us, trying to cow us by all means.
“The operator of the bookshop (Iva Valley) has been on the second floor of Labour House for years. We did not bring him there. If he has issues with the police, what concerns us? We believe the state is using this as a cover-up. They aim to emasculate Labour because of their vested interest.”
Meanwhile, NLC has intimated the international community, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, and the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, over the harassment, intimidation, and Police summoning of its President, Joe Ajaero over alleged criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime.
