The member of the House of Representatives representing Ideato Federal Constituency, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, has called on the Nigerian Police to withdraw their invitation to the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, over allegations of terrorism financing.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Ugochinyere urged the police to redirect their efforts towards addressing the growing insecurity in the country rather than focusing on the NLC President. The lawmaker, who also serves as the spokesperson for the opposition coalition in the House, expressed doubt about the validity of the allegations against Ajaero, citing his personal experiences with similar accusations.
The Nigerian Police had summoned Ajaero on charges of criminal conspiracy and terrorism financing. Despite this, Ajaero has stated that he intends to honor the invitation on August 29.
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Ugochinyere, however, insisted that if the police truly want to support President Bola Tinubu, they should concentrate on tackling banditry, oil theft, and other criminal activities plaguing the nation. According to him, “The Nigeria Labour Congress President didn’t commit any act of terrorism or murder. Drop the allegations, so you don’t stir up unrest and create confusion for the President. If you want to help President Tinubu, focus on chasing out bandits from the forests and stopping the theft of crude oil. You don’t help the President by inviting the NLC President and accusing him of murder and treason. Stop it!”
He added, “The President needs help addressing the insecurity, which is a root cause of the economic hardship and high food prices. That’s the real terror you need to deal with, not Comrade Ajaero.”
Ugochinyere advised the Nigerian Police to reconsider their approach, emphasizing that the priority should be on enhancing security across the country rather than summoning the NLC President for a discussion on terrorism. He warned against using outdated strategies, reflecting on his personal experience with similar situations, and urged that the invitation be withdrawn given the challenging times the country is facing.
