NLC PRESIDENT ARRESTED

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has been arrested in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Ajaero was picked up from the NLC State Council Secretariat by heavily armed policemen in Owerri and taken to an unknown destination.

The Head of Media at the NLC Headquarters, Benson Upah, allegedly stated this via a WhatsApp message.

This is coming after the union president commenced today’s protest despite a court order restraining the union from embarking on the industrial action.

Ajaero had directed all members of the Union and affiliate Unions to shut down all sectors in Imo State as the union protested today.

Ajaero had said, “The protest and strike action take place unfailingly Wednesday, November 1 and the action be total across all the sectors as unions must embark on heightened mobilisation.

“Imo State be shut down; air, land and sea; However, Owerri Airport to remain open till noon before it is shut down.”

It will be recalled that the NLC referred to Philip Nwansi, the chairman of the NLC Imo State Chapter as an ‘imposter’ following his announcements that the NLC Imo State chapter will be pulling out of the proposed November 1 protest in the state.

Reacting to the pulling out, Ajaero had said, “For trying to use the courts to stifle a lawful protest; attempting to break the ranks of the unions in the State; undermining the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state by foisting on the state council a leadership not constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Congress constitution, Imo State is now charged for a major industrial action.”