The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has returned to the Labour House after responding to the police invitation at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Ajaero arrived at the police headquarters accompanied by human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, and others, and spent about two hours writing his statement at the Intelligence Response Team headquarters. He left at 11:15 am without addressing journalists, promising to speak later at the labour headquarters.
The police invitation, allegedly related to terrorism financing, had sparked controversy, with the NLC and other labour unions accusing the Federal Government of attempting to intimidate labour leaders. Labour members gathered at the NLC headquarters in solidarity with Ajaero before he honoured the invitation.
According to the police, Ajaero is being investigated for alleged involvement in terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony. The invitation followed a night raid by the police on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.
The NLC National Executive Council had earlier condemned the police action, describing the allegations against Ajaero as trumped-up and politically motivated to silence organised labour. They requested a postponement of his appearance, citing insufficient notice.
