Labour In Rivers Condemns Attack On Ajaero, Backs NLC, TUC On Strike

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State Council has condemned, in its totality, the degree of brutality and attack meted on the National President of the Congress, Comrade Jeo Ajaero and scores of others by heavily armed police officers attached to the Imo State Police Command.
The state council made this condemnation in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, and Secretary, Comrade Matthew Olabe, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
In the statement, the NLC condemned the barbaric attack perpetrated by the Imo State Government-sponsored hoodlums and supervised by the state apparatus, adding that the aim of the attack was to suppress the legitimate rights of workers for peaceful agitations as enshrined in various conventions and statutes.
The state NLC said it would align itself totally with the positions taken on the matter by the national leadership of the congress and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to embark on nationwide industrial action scheduled to commence on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
The statement, however, appealed to workers in the state to remain calm and peaceful while awaiting further directives from the national leadership of organised labour on measures being taken to forestall any ugly attack in future.
“Rivers State NLC is in a rage and total disbelief with the degree of brutality meted out to the National President of NLC, Comrade Jeo Ajaero and some other workers upon his abduction by heavily armed men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Imo State Command where plans were underway to commence industrial action by the Imo State workers to press home an array of demands, including poor working conditions, harassment, intimidation of workers and labour leaders by state sponsored thugs,” the statement stated.