The Organised labour on Monday declared a nationwide strike over the brutalization of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero in Owerri on November 1. The two labour centres – the NLC and its counterpart, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, directed workers to stay off work starting from Tuesday. The decision is coming on the heels of the ruling of the National Industrial Court which barred Labour from embarking on strike.
Recall that the NLC was in Owerri on November 1, to protest over the alleged inhuman treatment workers in the state are subjected to by Imo State government. But shortly Ajaero was about to address workers at the state Secretariat of NLC in Owerri, he was beaten by hired thugs under the supervision of the police. Briefing journalists on the brutalization, Ajaero said he was handed over to thugs by the police and was “beaten like a common criminal.” After the incident, the organised labour among other things, demanded the immediate redeployment of the State Commissioner of Polic