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November 1, 2023
The police arrested Comrade Joe Ajaero when workers started gathering at the state Secretariat of the NLC for the protest when suddenly some men with harmful weapons stormed the Secretariat attacked the workers, and chased them away.
Human rights and pro-democracy group, the Take-It-Back Movement (TIB) has demanded for the immediate release of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress ((NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Ajaero was arrested by the Nigerian police in Owerri, the Imo State capital while organising a rally to protest against stalled wage payments for workers in the state on Wednesday morning.
The police arrested Comrade Joe Ajaero when workers started gathering at the state Secretariat of the NLC for the protest when suddenly some men with harmful weapons stormed the Secretariat attacked the workers, and chased them away.
Reacting to this, the Take-It-Back Movement (TIB) said the Nigerian Labour Congress is constitutionally allowed to protest to ensure the government takes the welfare of their members as a matter of priority.
In a statement released on X(formerly Twitter), Take-It-Back Movement (TIB) said. “@PoliceNG must immediately free President of @NLCHeadquarters Joe Ajearo now! Labour was in the right, morally, and constitutionally, to have declared a strike over repeated attacks on workers' right, and non payment of 20months arrears by the government of Hope Uzodinma in Imo State.
“It is sad that while Nigerians continue to live in abject poverty, groaning in hardship and penury, the government at all levels continues to waste tax payers' money, buying SUVs, living in opulence, and purchasing an extravagant lifestyle for themselves, family members, colleagues and cronies.
“Forthwith, we insist that protest, and strikes remain a constitutional right, and not subject to reviews or subjective opinions of the police. We demand the immediate, and unconditional release of Congress President, Joe Ajearo now!”