Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was Monday night invited by the Nigeria Police Force for “interview” on charges connected to “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, reasonable felony, subversion and cyber crime”.
BusinessDay checks show that the letter of invitation, signed by Adamu Mu’azu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP, on behalf of Commissioner of Police Intelligence dated August 19, 2024, did not address Ajaero in his personal title of “President of the NLC”.
Read also: NLC can’t withdraw from protest it didn’t plan — Ajaero
However, Mu’azu noted in the letter that Ajaero’s name was mentioned in on-going investigations connected to ” criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cyber crime”.
In the letter, Ajaero was directed to report at the IRT Complex, Abbattoir by Guzape Junction on Tuesday, August 20 at 10:00 threatening that a warrant of arrest would be issued against him if he failed to report.
“Benson Upah, Head of Information at the NLC, also revealed to BusinessDay that another personal message was sent to Joe Ajaero by one SP Moshood.
“We were at the Labour House to submit this (letter of invitation) but the place was locked sir,” Upah quoted the letter as saying.
He described the message as “curious because staff were in the office beyond 6pm”.
“We also note that Comrade Joe Ajaero was not addressed by his official title of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress,” Upah said.
“Clearly, the last has not been heard about the raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NLC has nothing to hide.”
The NLC had on Wednesday August 7, issued a statement, condemning the Nigeria Police for the killings that took place during #EndBadGovernance protests and urged the federal government to dialogue with the organisers of the protest even as Congress had clearly stated it was not part of the protest.
Read also: Minimum wage negotiations inconclusive, says Ajaero as presidency debunks N105,000 proposal rumour
The congress at its national executive council meeting, criticised the police for the high casualty rate during the protest.
Later that evening, the NLC headquarters in Abuja, the “Labour House”, was raided by some policemen who carted away some documents from the bookshop on the 2nd floor.
The NLC issued a statement condemning the police for raiding its offices.
At its world press conference last Thursday, the Congress raised an alarm that if anything happen. to its leadership or any of its members, the police should be held accountable.
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police public relations officer, while reacting to the NLC claims also, disclosed that the Police discovered a “ Landlord -tenant relationship between the NLC and one of the suspected global terrorist”.
“We recovered evidence to prove that the suspect is a threat to the nation, the man is a suspected subversive element,” Adéjọbí said
He also denied any connection between the raid of the NLC headquarters and the recent protests
He revealed that the police was carrying out forensic investigation into the evidence collected at the NLC headquarters, adding that it will require the NLC in the probe of the suspect.
Adejobi stated that the suspect claims multiple foreign identities including being a Russian and a Briton, adding that the suspect is also a frequent traveler out of Nigeria.
“The NLC is not the suspect here. We had a target and whatever it takes, we must get him by all means,” he noted, adding that the suspect was involved in “ subversive activities to run down the country”.
“The raid was not to get the man but to recover certain incriminating evidence and we have gotten what we want.
“We have uncovered plans that people want to destroy our democracy, destroy our common heritage called Nigeria, and we cannot keep quiet…We are getting enough help and we will get this man.”
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