The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has concluded his visit to the headquarters of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja.
Ajaero was summoned by the police to answer questions related to allegations of terrorism financing, among other charges.
Upon arrival at 10:17 a.m. on Thursday, he was met by a team of operatives led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, who facilitated the questioning.
The NLC President’s visit to the IRT headquarters lasted just over an hour, and after a brief session, he was allowed to leave an hour later, at 11:15 a.m., with no immediate indication of further action from the police.
Prominent human rights activists and legal figures including Femi Falana (SAN), Maxwell Opara, and Deji Adeyanju, were among the entourage that accompanied Ajaero to the Force Headquarters for questioning.
News About Nigeria reported that the police had initially summoned Ajaero for questioning on August 20 regarding a range of serious allegations, including conspiracy, terrorism financing, and sedition, but the NLC President, through his lawyer Samuel Ogala, requested a postponement to August 29, citing prior engagements
In the letter, Ogala, from the law firm of Femi Falana, expressed Ajaero’s willingness to cooperate with the investigation but requested further details about the allegations.
“He has an engagement that had been fixed before the receipt of the invitation letter,” read the letter signed by Samuel Ogala, a lawyer from the law firm of Femi Falana, a prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
“Therefore, Comrade Ajaero is prepared for your interview on Thursday, 29 August 2024,” the letter said.
A video captured Ajaero and his entourage leaving the Labour House on Thursday morning, surrounded by workers and journalists, as they made their way to the police station.
Although the Labour movement had mobilised its members to accompany Ajaero in a show of solidarity, Chief Falana advised the workers to remain at the Labour House to avoid a potentially chaotic situation at the police headquarters.
He assured the workers that the legal team would handle the matter appropriately.
