The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting after its National President, Joe Ajaero, was summoned by the police over allegations of financing terrorism.
According to reports from The PUNCH, the NEC meeting is scheduled for 8:00 AM on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Olaitan Oyerinde Hall, Labour House. The meeting will gather all heads of NLC affiliates and state chapters.
The emergency session was announced through a notice signed by NLC Secretary-General Emmanuel Ugboaja, titled “Notice of Emergency National Executive Council Meeting.”
The notice read, “I bring you fraternal greetings from the congress headquarters. You are invited to the emergency National Executive Council Hybrid meeting scheduled as follows: Tuesday, August 20, 2024; 8 AM, Olaitan Oyerinde Hall, Labour House.”
The police invitation, dated August 19, 2024, was signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Adamu Mu’azu on behalf of the Commissioner of Police Intelligence.
The letter accused Ajaero of being involved in “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, reasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime,” directing him to report to the IRT Complex in Guzape Junction, Abuja, by 10:00 AM on Tuesday. The police warned that failure to appear would result in a warrant for his arrest.
This development follows a July 7 night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja, which the police claimed was part of an operation to uncover incriminating documents linked to an international figure allegedly threatening Nigeria’s democracy.
The NLC has rejected the police’s explanation for the raid, demanding the release of its detained members and the return of seized documents.
The union also criticized the government’s attempts to interfere in its internal affairs, including a proposed reduction in the tenure of trade union leaders.
The unfolding situation has heightened tensions between the NLC and government authorities, with the labor organization’s leadership now seeking to address the serious accusations against its president in the emergency NEC meeting.
