Today marks one year since Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was allegedly abducted and brutalized by state agents in Owerri, Imo State, while leading a peaceful protest against the non-payment of salaries and pensions.
The protest, organized after what the NLC describes as “exhausting all processes of dialogue,” met legal requirements and notified the state government in advance. Despite these measures, Ajaero was reportedly detained, assaulted, and left severely injured.
According to a press statement issued by Benson Upah, Head of Information and Public Affairs at the NLC, Comrade Ajaero’s condition was so severe that police medical personnel were called in at around 4:30 p.m. at the Police Clinic in Owerri. He was later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, for further medical care. The incident shocked the nation, drawing widespread condemnation of what was seen as an extraordinary level of brutality.
The NLC revealed that it took more than six months of medical treatment, both locally and internationally, for Ajaero to recover his vision and regain full functionality. However, the ordeal did not end there. In August of this year, he was summoned by police to answer allegations related to terrorism financing, subversion, and treason. He was subsequently detained at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, preventing him from attending a UK conference.
Despite ongoing intimidation, the NLC states that Ajaero remains “unbroken and unbowed” in his dedication to Nigerian workers. The union expressed disappointment that no one has been held accountable for his initial ordeal in Imo State and highlighted that even the promise from the National Security Adviser (NSA) to prosecute those involved remains unfulfilled.
Reflecting on the past year, the NLC’s statement urged the government to take responsibility and ensure such an incident never happens again. The union reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of workers and condemned the violation of civil liberties, calling for justice and a better future for all Nigerians.
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