BREAKING: NLC orders immediate shutdown of economy if Ajaero is arrested

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has instructed its affiliate members and all workers nationwide to immediately shut down the economy if its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, is arrested by the Nigerian Police.

This directive follows the police’s invitation to Ajaero for questioning over allegations of involvement in terrorism financing and other related offenses.

In response, the NLC convened an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Labour House, where it was resolved to request an extension from the police to allow time for consultation with legal counsel.

Addressing workers who had gathered at the Labour House in solidarity, NLC Deputy President Kabiru Ado Sani emphasized that the police’s invitation to Ajaero was, in effect, an invitation to the entire workforce.

According to him, “At the end of the meeting, we reached some certain resolutions. Part of the resolutions is that, as a committed labour center that we agreed or that we abide by the rule of law and due process.

“We will honor the invitation of the Nigerian police, because we are not faseless organization, but we believe that we need an extension of time, after consultation with our lawyers, because this invitation was extended to the Congress President yesterday and asked to report at the police by 10am today.

“So we are already working with our lawyers to look for extension of time, but this does not legitimize the charges by the Nigerian police to the Congress leadership, and secondly, we resolve that in an event our Congress President was arrested or detained at any moment, we put our affiliate on red alert to mobilize our membership across the country, that all workers in this country should down tool their services.

“This is the resolution because Comrades, this organization belongs to all of us, therefore we should do everything possible to safeguard the safety of this organization. We therefore, thank you very much, and you shoulwait for further directives by our leadership.

“Whatever happens, we will communicate your leadership, and your leadership will communicate you. So we urge you to remain calm and go back peacefully to our working place and await further directives.”