The United Action Front of Civil Society, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have expressed sadness over the brutalisation of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and have threatened mass protest, if President Bola Tinubu refuses to apologise to workers
The group alleged that the action orchestrated by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State in a bid to thwart a popular mass protest of labour in Imo State.
A press statement on Thursday signed by Olawale Okunniyi, Head, National Coordinating Secretariat read, “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 Uzodinma 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 takeoff venue of the workers’ rally in Imo and abducted the NLC President to brutalise and murder him because they claimed the workers defied a court injunction.
“To this end, we demand that Mr Bola 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 a heist against the Nigerian people and workers and it must be atone for in a big way,” the statement added.
