Shehu Sani: Terrorism allegation against Joe Ajaero ‘strange, unfortunate’

• On August 7, police raided the NLC building in the Central Business District of Abuja.
• The NLC said the operatives who raided the building “claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernance protests”.

Senator Shehu Sani, former senator representing Kaduna, says the terrorism allegation against the Joe Ajaero by Nigeria Police Force (NPF) “strange and unfortunate”

In a post published on Tuesday via his official X page, Sani condemned the allegations against the Nigerian Labour Congress president (NLC).

BACKSTORY

On Monday, the police invited Ajaero for questioning over “a case of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime”.

The letter signed by Adamu Mu’azu, assistant commissioner of police, indicated that Ajaero is expected at the intelligence response team (IRT) complex in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mu’azu said an arrest warrant will be issued on Ajaero if he does not honour the invitation.

Benson Upah, media head of the NLC, said the police failed to accord the NLC president the courtesy of his official title in the invite.

Upah added that labour is being victimised for the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest which ended on August 10.

On August 7, police raided the NLC building in the Central Business District of Abuja.

The NLC said the operatives who raided the building “claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernance protests”.

Subsequently, Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), said one of the masterminds of the Sudan conflict was traced to the NLC headquarters.

The IGP added that police detectives traced the foreigner to a shop within the Labour House, and that operatives did not raid the secretariat.

Earlier today, the NLC threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike starting today if any harm befalls Joe Ajaero, its president.

Ado Kabiru Sani, deputy president of the NLC, said in a communique released shortly after the national executive council (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday.

The NEC meeting was convened to discuss the invitation of the union’s president by the police over allegations of terrorism financing.

However, the NEC agreed that Ajaero should honour the police invitation, but recommended an extension of time to give the NLC president sufficient time to appear before the police.

Sani asked the nation’s workforce to remain on standby for further directives should the police act contrary to their expectation of detaining Ajaero.