Recall that Ajaero was attacked, brutally beaten and detained for hours in Owerri, Imo State capital on November 1, by some policemen and thugs.
The Imo State government on Thursday said that officials of the state government were not among suspects arrested for attacking and brutally assaulting the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.
Recall that Ajaero was attacked, brutally beaten and detained for hours in Owerri, Imo State capital on November 1, by some policemen and thugs.
Following the attack on Ajaero and other its national leaders, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) embarked on nationwide strike on Tuesday as they accused Governor Hope Uzodinma-led Imo State government of sending some of its officials to supervise the brutalisation of Ajaero.
But the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, on Wednesday, said some of the suspected attackers had been arrested and that an investigation which his office is coordinating is going on.
Leaders of the organised labour also had a meeting with Ribadu in Abuja, after which, the strike was suspended after the NSA rendered an apology to the labour unions.
However, speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, the Imo Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, said that the suspects arrested were not officials of the state government.
“I will say emphatically that the government has no hands in that attack. The governor has also regretted the attack; he feels bad that he (Ajaero) was treated that way,” Emelumba said.
Speaking further, the Commissioner said, “But I think it is also important to note that the NSA has said that they have arrested some of those who attacked him, and the police are investigating. It’s a statement of fact, and I don’t think any government official was among those arrested.”
The commissioner, who dismissed claims that one of the governor’s aides was involved, said that “the governor’s aide was not involved. I can tell you categorically. He wasn’t even around Imo State that day; these are figments of imagination. No government official was involved, and this is verifiable.”