IGP orders probe into alleged assault of NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged assault of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by the force operatives in Imo State last week.

Ajaero was picked up by heavily armed police officers during a non-violent rally at the NLC secretariat in Owerri and taken into custody last Wednesday.

The congress in a statement after the incident alleged that Ajaero was blindfolded, assaulted and even threatened with death by the police.

The organized labour on Tuesday ordered the shutdown of power supply and fuel in the South-East state over the incident.

In a communiqué issued at the end of an extraordinary meeting of the National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also directed aviation workers to stop flights into and outside the state.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the development in a statement posted on the Force’s X platform, formerly Twitter, on Friday, said the probe was to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident.

The statement read: “The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault on the person of the President of the National Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.

“Consequently, he has directed the Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department to take over the matter with the primary objective of ascertaining the true facts surrounding the incident and to address any ambiguities that may exist as the Police has been inundated with different versions of the incident making investigations imperative to clear the conflicting accounts.

READ ALSO: NLC President, Ajaero narrates how he was beaten, dragged on the floor by thugs in Imo

“The Nigeria Police Force understands the importance of transparency and accountability in maintaining public trust.

“The IGP therefore assures the public, most especially the leadership of the organised labour, that a thorough and unbiased inquiry will be conducted to provide clarifications while urging organised labour and the public to remain calm, as he has personally intervened to address the issues surrounding this incident.

“The investigation has commenced, and the Nigeria Police Force guarantees that it will be followed to a conclusive end, and appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.”

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