The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),
has condemned the arrest and brutality meted on Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
Ajaero, alongside other members of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NLC in Owerri, the Imo state capital, on Wednesday to commence strike against the state government over alleged insensitivity to the plight of its workers .
Ajaero was said to have been arrested by heavily armed police men at the NLC secretariat in Owerri.
But the state police command in a statement denied arresting the NLC president, stating that the he was taken into “protective custody” from a mob to the state headquarters of the police.
However, the NUJ in a statement on Thursday said the Imo state government should be held responsible for any untoward thing that happened to Ajaero or any of its officials of the NLC.
The statement signed by Shuaibu Leman, national secretary of the NUJ, said the union was appalled at the treatment meted on Ajaero by sponsored thugs and the Nigerian police.
“We are appalled at the treatment meted out to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero by sponsored thugs and the Nigeria Police”, the statement reads.
“We are equally full of consternation by the Gestapo manner in which Comrade Ajaero was battered and subsequently whisked away.
“Obviously the Nigeria Police and other State Actors have learned nothing out of our nascent democracy, which presupposes that conduct of such Agents of State should be civil and that Citizens have a right to peaceful assembly and protests.”
Leman noted that, “The Media have reported that as at the time Comrade Ajero was being brutalised on Wednesday, November 1,2023 , one person was feared dead as miscreants descended on protesters, smashing vehicles, inflicting injuries and dispossessing handsets from labour members that had gathered at the NLC State secretariat.”
The statement recalled that, “The NLC President alongside other members of the Central Working Committee, CWC, were at the State Secretariat in Owerri to begin the planned strike action against the State Government’s insensitivity to the plight of workers in the State.”
The NUJ said, “Over the years, ordinary Nigerians have always found succour in the struggles of the NLC for a better stake for workers and other poor citizens in the Nigerian State which is skewered in favour of the elite.
“It is in appreciation of this perseverance, strength of character and invaluable contributions to the development of the nation and democracy in the country by Labour that we find the entire saga out of tune with reasonable conduct and in bad taste.
“The Imo State Government should be held responsible for any untoward thing that happened to Comrade Ajero or any official of the NLC as a result of this development.
“We condemn this dangerous development in its entirety and call for proper investigation and punishment for the perpetrators.”
