The Nigeria Police has said that contrary to media reports that its operatives arrested and detained the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) during labour protest in Imo yesterday, that the Police actually took comrade Joe Ajaero into protective custody to stop hoodlums identified as ‘unknown workers’ from lynching him.

The Commissioner of Police, Imo State, Mohammed Barde, stated this in a statement signed by Command Spokesperson, Henry Okoye.

NLC Head of Information and Publicity, Comrade Benson Upah, said Ajaero was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri after he was released and that his right eye was completely shut following beating he received.

Upah said: “Contact was made with Comrade Ajaero around 15:30 hours at the Police Hospital in Owerri from where he was taken to FMC where he is receiving medical attention.

“Thoroughly brutalised, his right eye at the time of contact was completely shut.

“Ajaero was beaten up and blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination where more brutalisation took place, sometimes with bottles.

“His phones, money and other personal effects were taken off him and have not been returned to him.”

But according to the Police Spokesperson, a scuffle broke out at the airport with some workers during picketing, which resulted in a heated argument and an eventual attack on Ajaero.

He said the command deployed operatives and the officer-in-charge exercised his discretion to take the Labour leader into protective custody.

The statement reads: “The Police Command wishes to clarify some sketchy reports alleging the arrest of Comrade Ajaero in Owerri.

“It is pertinent to state that the NLC President was in Owerri as part of arrangements of the Congress to mobilise workers for a mega protest rally in the state.

“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 some workers and other individuals resisting the picketing process, leading 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.

“It is, however, necessary to emphasise the existence of a court injunction from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria holden in Owerri with Suit No. NICN/OW/41/2023 dated 27th October, 2023, barring the NLC from holding the intended protest rally in Owerri.”

Barde urged all concerned to ensure compliance with the order to avoid jeopardising security arrangements ahead of the November 11 governorship election.