The Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Benjamin Anthony, has condemned recent allegations of terrorism financing and treasonable felony against NLC President Joe Ajaero, labeling them as attempts by the government to silence the organization and suppress its advocacy efforts on behalf of the Nigerian people.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Anthony revealed that the police had issued a WhatsApp message to Ajaero, summoning him for questioning over serious charges including treasonable felony, cybercrime, and terrorism. He criticized the mode of communication and the severity of the allegations, stating that the government’s actions appeared to be a strategic move to undermine the NLC’s influence.
“This is an attempt to silence the NLC. The government cannot tame the strongest tongue that is speaking for the masses,” Anthony asserted.
He further defended Ajaero’s integrity and dedication to the Nigerian workforce, dismissing the allegations as baseless. “In the NLC, we work together and we know ourselves. Personally, I have known the president for more than 25 years, and I have never traced any criminal act to him. The police have to provide evidence of him financing terrorism in Nigeria,” Anthony said.
Highlighting the NLC’s role as a critical voice for the people, Anthony expressed concern over the government’s perceived efforts to diminish the organization’s power. He noted that terrorism has plagued Nigeria for a long time, yet the federal government has not successfully identified those responsible. “Now, an agent of the government is turning against us and saying we are terrorists. I don’t think so,” he added.
In response to the police summons, the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) held a meeting and resolved that Ajaero would honor the invitation on August 29th. Anthony explained, “Our lawyers told them that he cannot go today but he will go on the 29th of August. We promise that our president will be there to listen and see the evidence.”
Anthony also addressed a recent incident where the police allegedly invaded and broke into the NLC compound without a warrant. He called for an apology from the authorities, stating, “The police confessed that they are the ones that invaded the compound and broke into the office. We need an apology from them. Instead of apologising, they are bringing another allegation which seems to us as a cover-up over the mess they have done.”
Emphasizing the importance of the NLC’s role in advocating for the welfare of Nigerian workers and citizens, Anthony concluded, “NLC is the only strong voice in Nigeria as of today, and the government wants to tame that voice, but it can’t work. People have known us for years struggling for the freedom and welfare of workers and the people of Nigeria.”
