Following the invitation by the police over alleged terrorism financing, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, submitted himself to interrogation by police investigators on Thursday.
Accompanied by his lawyer, Femi Falana and another human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, the NLC leadership, presidents of affiliate unions, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and leaders of civil society organisations, the Labour leader arrived at the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office at Guzape in Abuja at about 9:00 a.m. for the interrogation and left at about 11:30a.m.
While he returned to the Labour House, Ajaero said the invitation by the Police Force was only a distraction to labour struggles, insisting that the welfare of Nigerian workers was the major focus at hand following the hardship in the country.
The Police had invited him for an “interview on charges connected to alleged criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime last week, but the NLC president requested a postponement to yesterday.
Ajaero told workers who had patiently waited at the Labour House all morning that he was drilled by the police investigation concerning a foreigner who rented an office at the NLC headquarters in Abuja.
The police invitation according to him, was part of the challenges that come with labour leadership.
“You can’t do this job we do without expecting this. Even at the unit level, we have faced this before. Back in 1997 and 1998, some of us were in cells together, enjoying ourselves during the Abacha regime. But what matters now is the fight for workers’ rights.
“What is important is the circumstances that took me to that place and whatever it is, we are out to continue the struggle. We have got minimum wage, which has not been implemented, so we have to press for its implementation as soon as possible. Every other thing that will make the welfare of Nigeria workers worthwhile, we will be involved in it,” he said.
He also said the Police drilling was not new to him, as he had been detained alongside human rights lawyer, Falana during the military regime of Sani Abacha in 1998.
Reflecting on what transpired at the meeting with the police, Ajaero said, “I wouldn’t know the intent of the police in bringing me to question, it is only them that know their intention. As the issue is still being investigated, I am not going to serve as a judge.”
Meanwhile, the NLC General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja insisted that Ajaero is a leader, not a terrorist.
“Where would he get the money to sponsor or finance terrorism? Is it workers’ money? It is unfortunate that the government has chosen to go down this path. Perhaps they want to distract us with these baseless allegations so that we won’t focus on the issues affecting workers and the Nigerian people.
“The police should concentrate on addressing the insecurity that is seriously affecting Nigerians. The government should focus on resolving the issue of hunger that is killing our citizens. They should use their time and energy to find solutions to the numerous problems we face as a country,” he said.
Falana has also stated that Ajaero “is innocent of the heinous allegations leveled against him by the police,” adding that what transpired at the meeting with the police investigators did not reflect the content of their invitation which created suspicion.
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