The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to shut down the country if its leader, Joe Ajaero, is detained. In a press briefing on Thursday, August 29, 2024, a representative of the NLC warned that any attempt to arrest Ajaero, who was scheduled to respond to a police summons, would result in a nationwide strike.
The NLC representative criticized the government, labeling those in power as the real terrorists for allegedly exacerbating hardship and poverty in Nigeria. He stated, “Any attempt to detain Ajaero from 12 a.m. today will lead to a complete shutdown of the country. We will close down Nigeria.”
He further accused the government of misappropriating funds and failing to address the country’s economic challenges. “The true terrorists are those in government who are stealing our money and plunging us into poverty. They should examine their actions, as they are robbing us of our wealth,” he said.
ALSO READ:Police invitation: NLC to embark on peaceful prayer procession for Ajaero
The representative also criticized the government’s offer of N70,000, describing it as insufficient and unjust. “You are offering us N70,000 while threatening us. We must be prepared for a revolution,” he declared.
In a related development, prominent NLC members, including Falana, Opara, and Deji Adeyanju, accompanied Ajaero to the police headquarters for questioning.
However, Femi Falana, lawyer to the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, replied in a letter, stating that Ajaero would be unable to honour the Nigeria Police Force’s invitation, till August 29, due to a prior engagement scheduled before the invitation was received.