Organized Labour has declared a total and indefinite nationwide strike, beginning from Tuesday, November 14, 2023. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), disclosed this following an emergency meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. At the meeting, the unions reviewed the modalities of the planned strike following the brutalization of the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero by the police in Imo State last week. The unions asked President Bola Tinubu-led government to immediately remove the police commissioner in the state and the Area Commander, among other officials, for their alleged complicity in the humiliation of Ajaero and other workers.
Recall that Vigil360 reported that NLC and TUC summoned what they described as extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday.
Tommy Etim, National Vice President of TUC, who made the above public said the meeting will exploit the opportunity to appraise the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Federal Government and the Organized Labour on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Ajaero was arrested by the Police ahead of a state-wide protest in Imo state on 1st November, 2023, though; the Police denied arresting Ajaero, stating that he was merely taken into protective custody to prevent mob attack.
The unions which threaten to embark on a nationwide industrial action if their demands were not met consequently demanded the redeployment of the Imo State Commissioner of Police and the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the attack.
The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, had accused the labour leader of meddling in the political affairs of the state.