New details have surfaced on why the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the NLC Secretary General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, were re-invited by the Nigeria Police Force after an initial summons.
Bellnews recalls that Ajaero was initially invited over allegations involving “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
Following Ajaero’s first appearance on August 29, the police, in another letter signed by the Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ibitoye Alajide, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, asked him to appear again on Thursday, September 5, alongside the NLC General Secretary “to answer questions over alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property.”
The letter also provided a contact number for further coordination and emphasized the need for cooperation.
After the initial meeting at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Ajaero, who was accompanied by NLC legal counsel Femi Falana (SAN), affirmed that the NLC would maintain its patriotic stance despite the challenges.
However, sources indicated that the recent invitation stemmed from a petition filed by a private company, unrelated to the previous allegations of terrorism financing, which had been resolved.
A source close to the matter explained that “the matter of terrorism financing has been concluded. The invitation was based on a fresh petition by a company over what they tagged as disruptions.”
Confirming the development to The Punch correspondent, the NLC counsel, Falana, said, “A few months ago, a private company lodged a complaint against the leadership of the NLC in respect of the picketing of its premises by workers. The complaints against Comrade Joe Ajaero are limited to criminal intimidation, conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and malicious damage to properties.”