The anticipated second grilling of Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero by the police did not take place on Thursday because Ajaero and the NLC Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, who was also invited, did not appear at the police headquarters in Abuja.
Our correspondent, who was at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja, where the labour leaders were scheduled to appear for interrogation, saw neither Ajaero nor Ugboaja.
However, a person acquainted with the case stated that the NLC officials had informed investigators that they would be unavailable for Thursday.
“They did not show up. I am aware they have written those handling their case that they wouldn’t be coming today. They asked them to expect them on September 25,” the source said.
Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), counsel for the NLC, who accompanied Ajaero to the police headquarters for his first appearance on August 29, told one of our correspondents on Wednesday that the labour leaders will most likely attempt to postpone the interview.
Falana elaborated on Thursday, saying, “We wrote for another date because Comrade Joe Ajaero has an engagement outside Abuja today.”
The police are questioning Ajaero on charges of terrorist financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
His invitation followed a night raid by police on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.
The police are suggesting a link between the labour leader and a Briton, Andrew Wynne, who is accused of financing the country’s recent #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger protest, which aimed to oust President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Following Ajaero’s first appearance on 29 August, the police, in another letter signed by the Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ibitoye Alajide, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, requested that he appear again on Thursday, 5 September, alongside the NLC General Secretary “to answer questions over alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property.”
The letter read: “In furtherance of investigations into the alleged case of criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause breach of public peace and malicious damage to properties in which your name featured, you are requested to come along with Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, FID, through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 112, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja, on Thursday, 5th September 2024, at 11 am.”j
