The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has been apprehended by the police during an ongoing workers’ protest in Imo state.
The situation escalated as unruly individuals targeted protesters, damaging vehicles, and causing injuries to labor union members.
Amid the chaos, heavily armed security personnel took the NLC President into custody, and his current whereabouts remain unknown, Vanguard reports.
The NLC had previously announced its intention to commence protests in Imo State, beginning on November 1, citing alleged violations and abuse of workers’ rights and privileges by the State government.
Comrade Ajaero expressed the NLC’s deep concern about persistent violations of workers’ rights and privileges, despite attempts to engage in constructive dialogue and reach agreements with the Imo State Government.
As a result of the government’s refusal to implement previous agreements and ongoing violations, the NLC deemed it necessary to embark on mass protests and industrial actions, commencing on November 1, 2023, as a means of demonstrating their outrage and halting the continued infringement on workers’ rights.
Comrade Ajaero highlighted issues such as unpaid salary arrears, the unjust labeling of workers as ‘ghost workers,’ and the diversion of salaries for approximately 11,000 individuals erroneously branded as such. These issues have further fueled the labor union’s determination to address the plight of workers in the state.
