Following the attack on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Thursday, the organised labour has issued a five-day ultimatum for the redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde.
During a press briefing in Abuja, on Friday, the organised labour also demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Special Adviser to the State Governor, Hope Ozodimma, on Special Duties.
The union, however, vowed to embark on a five-day nationwide industrial action if their demands were not met.
Reading the press statement, the NLC’s Deputy President, Adeyanju Adewale, and TUC’s Deputy President, Tommy Okon, said, “The NLC president was blindfolded and whisked away by the security operatives in the state before intervention from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
“He was also beaten along with other workers with his phone seized, and journalists also maltreated with evidence shrouded away from the public.”
The union also expressed workers’ worry over the negligence of the Federal Government on the issue and the non-intervention of security personnel despite being briefed about their leaders’ presence in the state.
The statement added, “The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, should not only be investigated and redeployed but should also be held accountable for his action on Ajaero.
“The Area Commander and the other officers who supervised the brutalisation of our President and other workers in Owerri should be relieved of their positions and stripped of their commission.
“We demand an unbiased and thorough examination of the President on the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on him and all the properties lost be restored immediately.”
The union leaders alleged that the Imo State Government as well as the police were responsible for the attack on the NLC leader.
Meanwhile, both the police and the state government had denied the allegations in separate responses.
The state governor, Hope Uzodimma, denied the allegation of orchestrating an attack on Ajaero.
He said his intervention was responsible for the reinstatement of the NLC leaders in his state who were suspended and replaced with the caretaker committee.
Uzodimma accused Ajaero, an indigene of the state, of being involved in local politics.
