The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Council, TUC, have urged President Bola Tinubu to call Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo to order, following violence that visited members of the workers’ unions in the state.
Recall that in the early hours of Wednesday, the NLC President Joe Ajaero was picked up from the Congress State Council Secretariat by heavily armed security operatives in Owerri and taken to an unknown destination.
While condemning the incident in a joint statement, the NLC and TUC general-secretaries, Emmanuel Ugboaja and Nuhu Toro respectively, lamented that the governor had turned the state into a den of thugs and blood suckers.
“Hope Uzodimma must be called to order by the President and Commander in chief of the Armed forces to avert what he has chosen to turn the state into – a den of thugs and blood suckers,” the statement noted.
The unions, therefore, vowed to press on until the government listens to the demands of the workers.
“We will press on with our engagement as trade unions until the Government listens to the demands of the workers.
“The Governor should not be deluded into thinking that today’s violence will stop our resolve and determination to save the workers of Imo state.
“It has rather encouraged us to organize more so that we will engage him more creatively and effectively,” the statement added.
The unions further described Mr Ajaero’s arrest and detension as unacceptable.
The statement read: “Earlier in the morning, Police men had tried to disperse workers who were gathering at the state NLC secretariat without success. This was followed in the usual manner by thugs who were stationed very close to the Secretariat in several Hilux and Toyota trucks.
“These thugs were later to unleash mayhem on the few workers who had already gathered smashing car windscreens, delivering matchet cuts on some, stabbing many, and inflicting all manners of injuries on the workers. GSM handsets were snatched, Laptops taken away and Monies were forcefully taken away by the hoodlums.
“As if that damage was not enough, the President of the NLC; comrade Joe Ajaero arrived the venue accompanied by few individual workers to inspect the carnage and to provide the necessary leadership for the trade union action to continue only to be met by Police men of the Imo state Police Command who came in their numbers and in several trucks.
“The Police in the usual manner accompanied by thugs led by the Special Assistant to the Governor of Imo state on Special Duties: Mr. Chinasa Nwaneri leading others like Tapey and Madoka descended on the President of the Congress after overpowering the few workers who were left after the initial battering, inflicted heavy injuries and big blows to his head and body and kicking him in the process while dragging him on the ground while the Police supervised the mayhem.
“They eventually bundled the President into their waiting van and whisked him away to unknown destination where he is still being held incommunicado as we write.
“This latest action of the State Government and the Police further demonstrates our earlier cries to Nigerians on the level of violence and impunity going on in Imo State.
If the President of the Congress can be abducted in broad day light and taken to unknown destination by the Police and the State Governor, imagine, what they have been doing to workers and trade union leaders in the state!”
