The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe
Ajaero, has declared that the union will not be intimidated by external
pressures, following his appearance at the Intelligence Response Team, IRT,
headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. Ajaero, who was invited by the police to address allegations
of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and
treasonable felony, arrived at the IRT office at 10:17 a.m. and left shortly
after 11:15 a.m. He was accompanied by prominent human rights lawyer Femi
Falana (SAN), activist Deji Adeyanju, and other senior NLC officials. ‘Allegations
baseless’Speaking to journalists at the Labour House after leaving
the police headquarters, Ajaero asserted that the NLC remains committed to
defending the rights of Nigerian workers and will not be cowed by any form of
intimidation. “We can‘t be intimidated,” he stated emphatically. “The
allegations against us are baseless, and we have nothing to hide.” Reflecting on the challenges faced by labour leaders, Ajaero
shared, “You can’t do this job we’re doing without this type of hazard. “Even at the unit level, some of us experienced it. As far
back as 1997/1998 with Femi Falana, we were equally together in the cell during
the time of Abacha. “But whatever the case is, we’re out to continue the
struggle. We’ve gotten minimum wage, but we can’t be intimidated. We have to
press for its implementation as soon as possible. “Every other thing that will make the welfare of the
Nigerian workers worthwhile, we will be involved in it,” he noted. The invitationAjaero further explained that his appearance before the
Police was in the interest of transparency and to clear the air on the
unfounded accusations levelled against him and the NLC. He noted that the union would continue to fight for the
welfare of workers and stand firm in the face of challenges. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Ajaero
maintained a confident stance, dismissing the claims as an attempt to weaken
the labour movement. “Our resolve is stronger than ever,” he added. “We will
continue to champion the cause of workers across the nation, no matter the
obstacles.” The NLC president’s appearance at the IRT headquarters
followed his initial invitation by the Police on August 20, which he was unable
to attend due to unforeseen circumstances. He, however, assured that the union remains united and
focused on its mission, undeterred by attempts to undermine its efforts.
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