By Damilare Adeleye
Organised labour unions including the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have issued strike notice to the Federal Government which would begin on November 8, 2023.
It was learnt that the nationwide strike was declared over Wednesday’s attacks, abduction and battering of NLC President, Joe Ajaero, among others.
Meanwhile, the organised labour unions’ leaders at a briefing Friday, gave the Federal Government a six-point demand, including the immediate removal of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State and Area Commander, among other officials, for their alleged complicity in the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers.
It was recalled that suspected agents of the state and security operatives had descended on Ajaero alongside other Labour leaders, smashing their vehicles, inflicting injuries on them and dispossessing handsets, money, and ATM cards among other valuables from the Labour leaders and others who had gathered at the NLC State secretariat to begin a scheduled protest over pending labour issues.
The NLC President, other national leaders of NLC and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart were at the state Secretariat in Owerri to protest among other grievances, the backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, pensions, gratuities, and non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act.
It was learnt that Ajaero was whisked away during the protest by men of the Nigerian Police Force and later appeared with injuries on his face, revealing that he was beaten.
Speaking on the development on Thursday, Benson Upah, NLC Publicity Secretary, said Ajaero could not be treated at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri, because of the degree of injuries he sustained, hence the need to fly him abroad for treatment.
The attack, brutalisation and battering of Ajaero have been greeted with outrage and condemnation across the country.
Leaders of NLC and TUC are billed to meet on Tuesday next week to decide on an appropriate response to the attack.