THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has instructed its affiliates and all workers in the country to immediately shut down the economy if the Nigerian Police arrest the Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
Recall that the Police had last night invited the NLC President to its headquarters for questioning on the charge of complicity in terrorism financing, among others.
The development prompted the convening of an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Labour House, when the Congress supported to write to the Police requesting an extension of time to consult with its lawyers.
The NLC Deputy President, Kabiru Ado Sani, briefed the workers who had gathered at the Labour House in solidarity with the Congress President and planned to join him to the Police Headquarters, saying that the invitation to Ajaero was an invitation to workers.
According to him, "At the end of the meeting, we reached some specific resolutions." Part of the resolutions is that as a committed labour centre, we agree to uphold the rule of law and due process.
"We will honour the Nigerian police's invitation because we are not a fearless organisation, but we believe that we require an extension of time, after consulting with our lawyers, because this invitation was extended to the Congress President yesterday and asked to report to the police by 10 a.m. today."
"So we are already working with our lawyers to seek an extension of time, but this does not legitimise the charges brought against the Congress leadership by the Nigerian police, and secondly, we resolve that if our Congress President is arrested or detained at any time, we will put our affiliate on red alert to mobilise our membership across the country, and that all workers in this country should cease their services.
"This is the resolution because, comrades, this organisation belongs to all of us, and we must do everything possible to ensure its protection. We thus thank you very much, and you should await further instructions from our leadership.
"Regardless of what occurs, we will communicate with your leadership, and they will communicate with you. So we ask you to remain calm and return calmly to our workplace while we await additional instructions."