Ajaero, NLC President Was Beaten Up, Taken To Hospital For Treatment – Imo Police Command

By Ayodele Oni

The Imo State Police Command has confirmed that Comrade Joe Ajaero, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, was beaten up by a mob.

In a statement issued by the Command on the viral news of  Ajaero’s arrest  in Owerri by the Police, the Police said that far from arresting the NLC President, its Operatives saved him from being lynched when he was attacked by those the Police described as  “a mob.”

The statement did not quite say the circumstances that led to the brutalization of Ajaero other than admitting that there was an altercation and argument between Ajaero and some people when they were discussing the modalities for the strike action declared in the State by the NLC. The Police, also, admitted  that Ajaero was taken to the Police Hospital for medical attention, a consequence of the beating he received.

The Police Command issued the statement in its defence of the news that it arrested the NLC President and took him to an unknown location.

The NLC President was in Owerri as part of arrangements of the Congress to mobilize workers for a mega protest rally in the State against the State Government.

Said the Police statement in part:

“In the course of their planning, it was reported that suggestions arose for the lockdown of some essential facilities particularly the airport, which led to the resistance of the process by some individuals.

“This led to scuffles and heated arguments and an eventual attack on the person of the President by a mob.

“Upon receiving this report, the Imo Police Command swiftly deployed police operatives to the scene where the Officer in Charge exercised his operational discretion by taking the NLC President into protective custody at the State Command Headquarters to ensure the protection of his life and that he was not lynched in the scuffle that followed.

“The Commissioner of Police thereafter directed that he should be taken to the Police Medical Services, Owerri, where he would be accorded medical attention as a result of the attack.

“He has, therefore, been accorded adequate security cover to proceed on his other legitimate engagements for the day.”