THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for an emergency National Executive Council meeting a few hours after the police invited its president, Joe Ajaero, for questioning over allegedly financing terrorism.
According to a notice signed by NLC’s Secretary General, Emmanuel Ugboaja. The NEC meeting was to be held by 8 am on Tuesday with all heads of affiliates and state chapters of NLC expected to be in attendance.
The ICIR reported on Monday, August 19, that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) summoned Ajaero over allegations of terrorism financing, treasonable felony, and related offences.
In an invitation letter signed by Adamu Muazu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team, the police requested Ajaero’s presence for questioning on Tuesday, August 20 in Abuja.
It further warned that an arrest warrant would be issued if Ajaero failed to make himself available.
Recall that the NLC had accused personnel from the police and the State Security Service (SSS) of invading its Abuja office on Wednesday, August 7.
According to a statement by the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, the operatives arrested the security guards on duty. They forced them to hand over keys to the offices on the building’s second floor.
Upah added that the operatives broke into the floor, ransacked the bookshop, and stole hundreds of books and publications.
NLC denies receiving an invitation from the police
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Ugboaja, doubted the police invitation to Ajaero, stating that the NLC did not receive any official invitation from the police.
In a phone call with The ICIR, Ugboaja noted that no letter was delivered to the NLC’s office as of the close of work on Monday.
He further questioned the use of substituted service by the police, implying that if the summon was made online, it would be ineffective unless formally served.
“Call the police, it is the police that wrote the letter. We didn’t receive any letter. As of the close of work today, nobody brought any letter to us but the thing is flying around. They didn’t bring any letter to our office.
“If invitations are now done by substituted service because I know in court they can give you substituted service, if police now do substituted service too without reaching the person and then they put it on the internet, if internet will go and serve Joe Ajaero, then let internet go and serve him,” he said.
A reporter with the ICIR
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