The Nigeria Labour Congress president, Joe Ajaero, is receiving treatment at the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Owerri after he was brutalized on Wednesday.
Police arrested him in the Imo State capital as he led organized labor’s state-wide protest over unpaid salaries,pensions, and alleged violation of workers’ rights.
The NLC’s media lead, Benson Uper, said Ajaero was picked up at the NLC Imo State Council Secretariat by armed policemen and taken to an unknown destination.
The union and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also accused the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, and the Imo State Commissioner of Police of abducting the NLC leader, who was later released.
The police have denied the accusation. The Imo State Police Command said Ajaero was only taken into protective custody to save him from a mob attack.
