FALANA WRITES IGP REGARDING NLC PRESIDENT’S ARREST AND ASSAULT

Babatunji Wusu –

Famous human rights activist Femi Falana has written to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun on the attack and suspected apprehension of Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

that Ajaero’s beating, abuse, and removal from the NLC protest in Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday sparked anger.

Ajaero was later admitted to the hospital as a result of the beating he sustained at the event.

In a statement that Naija News was able to receive on Thursday morning, Falana responded to the development by criticizing the police’s statement regarding Ajaero’s detention.

Ajaero was only taken away when miscreants took over the NLC Trade Union demonstration in Owerri, according to the police, who had denied detaining the NLC president during the union’s gathering there.

Falana, nevertheless, said that the police’s statement was riddled with errors. The police chief was urged by the human rights activist to detain and charge the cops responsible for Ajaero’s assault right now.

Falana questioned why the police did not apprehend the criminals who had attacked the NLC President in front of them in the statement he personally signed.

“The police version of Comrade Joe Ajero, the President of the NLC, being brutalized is rife with holes,” he declared.

“Why did the police stand by while the so-called miscreants beat Comrade Ajero? Stated differently, what prevented the cops from defending him from the vicious assault?

“The officers then abruptly turned around to take the victim to the police clinic after seeing the incident but failing to make any arrests. Photographs taken by the public outcrying the brutal attack showed the police’s deceptive narrative.

It is unsettling that the police used Comrade Ajero’s disobedience of a court order as justification for the actions of the alleged miscreants. Why would the police not consent to Comrade Ajero being found in contempt of court?

“We demand an investigation and prompt prosecution of the police officers who assaulted the NLC President by Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.”