One person was feared killed, and several others injured as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, was abducted by security agents during an ongoing organized labour protest in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.
The occurred as thugs descended on labour leaders and other protesters, causing havoc by smashing vehicles, inflicting injuries, and robbing individuals of their possessions, including handsets, money, and ATM cards.
According to Vanguard, the NLC President, other national leaders of NLC and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart, were at the State Secretariat in Owerri to begin the planned protest ahead of strike today (Thursday) over unpaid salaries and allowances, among other grievances against the Imo State government.
However, chaos erupted around 8 am when workers were arriving at the secretariat for the protest.
Then suddenly thugs in about 10 mini-buses armed with dangerous weapons stormed the Secretariat and attacked labour leaders, workers and chased them away.
“It was a rowdy sight as union leaders and Journalists scampered for safety,” Vanguard reported.
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Nevertheless, the workers regrouped at the secretariat, led by NLC President Ajaero and General Secretary Emma Ugboaja, to initiate the protest.
It was gathered that as Ajaero was about to address the gathering, a team of armed Policemen and hooded men in trucks stormed the venue and arrested him alongside some labour leaders and some journalists, shooting sporadically.
Speaking, NLC’s Head of Information and Publicity, Benson Upah had earlier informed of Ajaero’s arrest by the Police led by the Commissioner of Police.
He said: “The NLC President was abducted by Policemen armed to their teeth at the Imo state NLC secretariat on Wednesday as we are about to commence our lawful protest against the violation of trade Union rights of the workers.”
Also while giving account of the incident, NLC’s Assistant General Secretary and Chief of Staff to the NLC president, Chris Onyeka said he was standing with Ajaero when he was brutalized and arrested.
“As workers were gathering to protest their maltreatment by the state government in Owerri, Imo State and the President of NLC was about to address the workers, the Police came amidst attacks by thugs to arrest Ajaero.
“Thugs first attacked and dragged Ajaero from the platform before Police came to arrest him along with another senior official of the NLC.”
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Speaking to Vanguard, NLC’s General Secretary, Emma Ugbaja, alleged that the State Commissioner of Police led the attack under the instructions of the state government.
He claimed that the government had mobilized “his thugs” as early as 6am and took over the area, noting “when they (thugs) saw the (NLC) President, the CP led the thugs into the place.
“There were about five naval personnel on duty. The Police arrested and brutalized the President and took him to their Tiger base and nobody has sighted him.”
Ajaero released, but brutalized
GOOD EVENING NIGERIA gathered that Ajaero had been released yesterday (Wednesday) and hospitalized as he was brutalized by the police.
Confirming his release, NLC’s Information officer, Benson Upah, described what happened to Ajaero as an act of abduction that degenerated into attempted murder.
He said that “contact has been made with Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero this evening around 15:30 hours at the Police Hospital in Owerri from where he was taken to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he is receiving medical attention.
“He was thoroughly brutalized, his right eye at the time of contact was completely shut. Ajaero, who spoke little, stated that immediately after his arrest, he was beaten up and blind-folded and taken to an unknown destination where more brutalisation took place, sometimes with bottles. His phones, money and other personal effects were taken from him and have not been returned to him.”
The Imo state government and Imo Police Command are yet to comment on the incident.