What would have resulted in an ugly clash by protesting members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was on Thursday averted, by Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and human rights lawyer, at the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office, in Abuja.
Falana, alongside Deji Adeyanju and Maxwell Opara among others who accompanied Joe Ajaero, the NLC President to the police station, persuaded the workers to stop the protests, averting crisis as the police.
BusinessDay checks revealed that the Police had mobilised its men and stationed them a few meters away from the NLC headquarters, Abuja, as early as 7am.
Sensing that the situation would have become uncontrollable, Falana was able to persuade the NLC members to stay away from the Police formation, adding that he would handle the invitation professionally.
Following the intervention, Ajaero was accompanied by the team of lawyers and a few of NLC members and arrived at the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office in Abuja at about 10:20 a.m.
The visit followed an invitation by the police for “interview” on charges connected to “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, reasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime “.
Read also: NLC President Joe Ajaero appears before Police IRT in Abuja
The invitation letter, signed by Adamu Mu’azu (ACP) on behalf of the Commissioner of Police Intelligence, dated August 19, 2024, stated that Ajaero’s name had surfaced during ongoing investigations concerning “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, reasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
In response to the police invitation, the NLC had instructed all its members across the nation to participate in a peaceful prayer procession today, August 29, as a show of solidarity with their leader.
As the situation is developing, more updates are expected as the investigation continues.
Several unions, including the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), National Union of Telecommunication Employees (NUPTE), Radio and Television and Act Workers Union (RATTAWU), were spotted on ground chanting solidarity songs.
At the end of the interrogation which lasted for about an hour, Ajaero and his legal team left the IRT at about 11:15 a.m, in an NLC branded bus that brought them.
He however declined to comment when approached by journalists.
At the NLC headquarters, Emma Ugboaja, General Secretary of the NLC, while addressing members accused the Federal Government of chasing shadows, mockingly saying Ajaero was never on the run.
“Besides which money does the NLC President have to fund terrorism,” he asked rhetorically
He said rather than thinking of how they would implement the new minimum wage which has just been passed into law, the government was busy fighting perceived enemies.
Maxwell Opara while also speaking after the NLC leader’s visit to the Police IRT, revealed that nothing much transpired during the interrogation, adding that “ it was just a simple question directed at Ajaero to explain what he knew about the tenant (alleged terrorist) at the 2nd floor of the Labour House, after which he was asked to go”.
