November 3, 2023 NewsOrient

United Action Front of Civil Society of Nigeria, has described the arrest of and brutalisation of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, as an attack on all Nigerian workers and masses by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Accusing Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, of being behind the arrest and brutalisation of the labour leader, the civil society group said Gov Uzodimma must resign and leave Nigeria now or risk public embarrassments from workers and the masses of Nigeria.

They also insists President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as APC leader and President of Nigeria should tender unreserved apology to Nigerian workers for Police brutality against NLC President or face unprecedented mass actions.

A statement signed by Olawale Okunniyi (Veteran Che), Head, National Coordinating Secretariat, United Action Front of Civil Society of Nigeria reads:

“The United Action Front of Civil Society again wishes to express our sadness over the bestial brutalisation of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, which was orchestrated by Supreme Court Governor, Hope Uzodima of Imo State in a bid to thwart a popular mass protest of Labour in Imo State.

Our group wishes to state that this sort of brutality and dehumanisation of the leader of the Nigerian workers has never happened to any leader of the Nigerian Labour movement in the annals of the Labour Movement in Nigeria, not even during the Abacha bestiality in the dark days of the military did this happen. The closest attempt in Kaduna during the last regime failed.

Hope Uzodima has definitely crossed the Rubicon for ordering his attack Police and Thugs to beat up and brutalise the Leader of all Nigerian workers.

So, he is advised to resign immediately and leave Nigeria or risk public embarrassments from Nigerian workers and masses henceforth wherever he goes.

Similarly, we find the Bola Tinubu government liable of complicity in this episode of bestiality displayed by the heavily armed force of the Nigerian Police, who stormed the take off venue of the Workers’ Rally in Imo and abducted the NLC President to brutalise and murder him because they claimed the workers defie a Court injunction.

To this end, we demand that Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is presently at the head of the reckless Nigerian State should tender an unreserved public apology to Nigerian workers and the President, Comrade Joe Ajaero within the next three days or risk an unprecedented mass actions capable of shutting down State business indefinitely.

Enough is Enough! Nigeria belongs to the Nigerian people and workers. We can no longer tolerate this executive recklessness and impunity of the APC rule. It is time to decide who owns Nigeria. APC government has committed an heist against the Nigerian people and workers and it must be atone for in a big way.”

NewsOrient