The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stark warning of a nationwide strike if the police proceed with the detention of its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero. Backed by major unions including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Union of Railway Workers (NUR), the labor movement is poised to take action over what it describes as a politically motivated investigation.
Ajaero has been summoned by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), to appear on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, in Abuja, over allegations ranging from criminal conspiracy to terrorism financing. The NLC has condemned these charges as baseless and part of a broader attack on the labor movement.
In a show of solidarity, unions across various sectors—including the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN)—have already mobilized their members for an indefinite strike should Ajaero be detained. The MWUN has issued a directive to all port formations, jetties, and oil export terminals to prepare for the strike, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
The NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, following the police summons, resolving to commence the strike at midnight if Ajaero is detained. The labor movement sees the investigation as a direct assault on its leadership and a threat to the broader Nigerian working class.
