Due to the non-appearance of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero at the police headquarters Abuja, for interrogation on allegation of financing terrorism, the police has reportedly fixed September 25 as the new date for the interrogation.
Sources at the Police headquarters indicate that the new date was on the request of the lawyers of the NLC President led by Mr. Femi Falana, a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Ajaero and the Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja are expected to appear in the police headquarters for the interrogation.
Earlier, Mr. Femi Falana had told Punch Newspaper in Abuja on Wednesday that , “We wrote for another date as Comrade Joe Ajaero has an engagement outside Abuja today.”
The police had in August raided the National Headquarters of the NLC on the grounds that they were investigating an individual suspected to be behind terrorist activities in Nigeria.
After Comrade Ajaero accompanied by his lawyers and members of the NLC honoured the invitation of the police on August 29, the police in a separate letter further invited the NLC leader for the now botched September 5, interrogation. Part of the invitation letter signed by Ibitoye Alajide, the Commissioner of Police, Operations (Police Headquarters), on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, read in part: “In furtherance of investigations into the alleged case of criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause breach of public peace and malicious damage to properties in which your name featured, you are requested to come along with Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, FID, through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 112, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Thursday, 5th September 2024 at 11 am.”
Nigerians have condemned the harassment of labour leaders and #EndBadGovernance protesters by the government amidst worsening economic situation in the country.