IN a debatable transfer, the police have invited the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, for questioning over allegations of legal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime. However he has but to honour the invite amid cries of a witch-hunt by union members.
The NLC, which considers Ajaero’s summon by the police as intimidation, harassment, and victimisation, describes the allegations as baseless. It argued that it was a calculated try and weaken and destabilise the labour motion.
“That is nothing however a travesty and a blatant try and stifle the voice of the working folks and their management, as enshrined within the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Worldwide Labour Organisation Conventions 87 and 9,” NLC Deputy President, Ado Minjibir, mentioned. He threatened that Labour “won’t hesitate to take all essential actions, together with mass protests and industrial actions, to guard the integrity and independence of the labour motion.”
Although the NLC had knowledgeable the police that Ajaero would honour the invitation on August 29, it directed its associates and state chapters to mobilise members nationwide for a strike or protest ought to the labour chief be detained.
The knotty query is: Is Ajaero above the legislation?
The police directed Ajaero to report back to their workplace on August 20, failure of which a warrant of arrest can be issued towards him. This adopted an evening raid on the nationwide secretariat in Abuja on July 7.
The NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, defined that safety brokers stormed the labour constructing at night time, arrested safety guards and compelled their option to the workplaces on the second ground.
The Inspector-Normal of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, countered that the police had been trailing one of many terrorists who masterminded the Sudanese disaster that has left 15,000 folks lifeless.
He mentioned the raid aimed to uncover seditious supplies associated to the current #EndBadGovernance protest. Some protesters waved the Russian flag and demanded President Bola Tinubu’s resignation, therefore Ajaero’s invitation.
In accordance with the NLC, Ajaero’s summon is “an unfounded and politically-motivated investigation.” This doesn’t justify Ajaero’s refusal to honour such an invitation.
Since 2009, Nigeria has battled with terrorism. In accordance with the World Centre for the Duty to Defend, Boko Haram and ISWAP have killed over 35,000 folks between 2009 and 2020.
Subsequently, tackling terrorism financing is important to destroying extremist teams’ operational capacities and boosting nationwide safety.
So, slightly than threatening a strike, the NLC ought to have inspired its chief to honour the invite and clear his identify.
Labour ought to do not forget that strikes and protests price the economic system dearly.
The Police Act 2020 empowers the police to ask anyone for questioning, and residents are anticipated by legislation to honour such an invite, supplied it’s achieved formally. So, the NLC shouldn’t be seen as goading its chief into dishonouring the police invitation. After all, such an individual is deemed harmless till confirmed responsible.
Former US President Donald Trump confronted a number of costs and was invited, questioned, and tried. So, there’s nothing unusual about Ajaero being invited for questioning. He’s entitled to attend such conferences along with his legal professionals.
Nevertheless, the police should know that Nigerians are watching what seems to be a resurgence of tyrannical arrests, detention, and brutality of the army period. The IG should cease it. The police ought to cease harassing Nigerians, together with the NLC members, and Ajaero’s basic human rights shouldn’t be trampled upon.
It behoves Ajaero’s authorized staff to show that the police have ulterior motives in inviting the labour chief. Nevertheless, contemplating the injury insurgents have achieved to this nation, any allegation of terrorism financing and treasonable felony can’t be handled frivolously, and all Nigerians, together with labour union members, should assist the federal government to cease subversive parts from destabilising the nation.