Nigeria Labour Congress to call national strike next week after its president was beaten up by police

NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC) officials have announced that they will be initiating a national strike as from Wednesday November 8 to protest the recent physical assault handed out to their national president Joe Ajaero.

According to the NLC, the health of Mr Ajaero is very critical and he may be flown abroad for a full medical examination after he was seriously beaten, brutalised and battered by security officials in Owerri, the Imo State capital. Apparently they descended on Mr Ajaero and other Labour leaders smashing their vehicles, inflicting injuries, dispossessing handsets, money, ATM cards and other valuables just because they gathered at the NLC state secretariat to begin a scheduled protest over pending  issues.

Incensed about the maltreatment of its president, the NLC and its Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart have given a November 8, strike notice to the federal government.. Leaders of the NLC and TUC have given a six-point demand, including the immediate removal of the Imo State commissioner of police and the Owerri area commander, over their alleged complicity in the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers.

Earlier this week, Mr Ajaero was in Owerri to protest among other grievances a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, pensions, gratuities and non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act. He was subsequently arrested but after his release he looked very weak, was wearing a neck collar and was referred to ophthalmic investigation, a head/brain scan, a full body scan and cervical spine therapy among other investigations.