NLC Mobilises Members for Indefinite Strike Over Face-off With Police

*Says workers may begin strike midnight

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Following the ongoing Face-off between it and Nigerian Police, the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked its members to be ready to commence nationwide strike if need be by midnight today (Tuesday).

The labour centre said in a communique issued after its emergency National Executive Council (NEC) that it had directed all the state chapters and affiliates to mobilize workers for an indefinite strike from midnight if anything happened to the NLC president Joe Ajaero who has gone to honour police invitation in Abuja.

According to NLC, Ajaero’s summon was premised on a clearly unfounded and politically motivated investigation into alleged terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.

In the Communique signed by NLC Deputy President, Comrade Ado Sani Minjibir, the Congress warned that “it will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.”

The communique reads: “The NEC directs all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilizing their members across the nation.

“The Congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.

“If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the Congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the State;

“NEC puts all its affiliates and state councils alert to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action by 12:00 midnight today”.

NLC also called on all civil society allies and the general populace to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress in this critical moment.

The NEC meeting was convened to deliberate on the recent developments surrounding the invitation of Ajaero, by the Nigeria Police Force.

However, the meeting expressed grave concern, ‘that rather than extending the demand by the Congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigeria Police has chosen to embark on this spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment, and witch-hunting.

“This is nothing but a travesty and a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of the working people and their leadership, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98.
In light of this, the NEC of the NLC resolves as follows,” it said.

NLC said that it has decided to honour the police invitation as a responsible labour centre committed to the rule of law and due process.

It however added that it will not sit idly by while the rights and freedoms of its members and leaders are trampled upon with impunity by the state

“NLC shall honour the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand for extension of time given the nature of the invitation.

“However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not in any way legitimize the baseless allegations levelled against him.
Condemnation of the State’s actions:

“Nigeria Labour Congress remains resolute in its commitment to defending the rights and interests of workers and the Nigerian people. We shall not be cowed or intimidated by these desperate attempts to silence us

“The NEC strongly condemns the continued harassment of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other Labour leaders. We view this as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the labour movement, which has always stood as a bastion of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.

“The NEC warns the state to desist from its evil intentions and stop the ongoing witch-hunt against the leaders of the Congress forthwith,” NLC said in the communique.
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