NSA begs Labour over strike, says attackers of Ajaero arrested

By Peters Monday, Abuja

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said that the suspected political thugs that brutalized the National president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero have been arrested.

It would be recalled that the NLC president was attacked in Owerri, Imo State capital on November 1 when workers in the state staged a protest over unpaid salary.

The NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, had declared nationwide strike, demanding the arrest of the suspected thugs and their sponsors.

Following the commencement of the strike, which has relatively crippled economic activities in some parts of the country, Ribadu, in a statement signed by the Head of Strategic Communications in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari U Mijinyawa, urged the organized labour to halt the ongoing nationwide strike.

He confirmed that some arrests had been made regarding the brutalization of the NLC president, pledging that the outcome of the investigation would be made known to the general public.

According to the statement, “The NSA is particularly worried about the implications of the strike action on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians and its potential impact on economic security and other strategic national interests.

“The NSA regrets the incident and condemns it in its entirety as it was against the rule of law and the principles of freedom of association and expression subscribed to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.

“The Federal Government will never condone such an act.

“As a fallout of the incident, relevant authorities were directed to conduct thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the assault and bring to book the culprits.

“Available update indicates that some arrests have already been made in this regard. The outcome of the investigation will be made public as soon as it is concluded.”