Terrorism financing: Police to grill Ajaero Sept 25
Solomon Odeniyi and Deborah Tolu-Kolawole
The scheduled second interrogation of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, by the police did not hold on Thursday as Ajaero and the NLC Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, who was also invited, did not show up at the police headquarters in Abuja.
Our correspondent, who was at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja where the labour leaders were billed to appear for interrogation, saw neither Ajaero nor Ugboaja.
However, a source familiar with the situation said the NLC leaders had written investigators that they would not be available for Thursday.
“They did not show up. I am aware they have written those handling their case that they wouldn’t be coming today. They asked them to expect them on September 25,” the source said.
Counsel for the NLC, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), who accompanied Ajaero to the police headquarters for his first appearance on August 29, had told one of our correspondents on Wednesday that the labour leaders might likely seek a postponement of the interrogation.
Speaking further on the matter on Thursday, Falana said, “We wrote for another date as Comrade Joe Ajaero has an engagement outside Abuja today.”
The police are quizzing Ajaero over allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
His invitation came in the wake of a night raid by the police on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.
The police are alleging a link between the labour leader and a Briton, Andrew Wynne, who has been accused of financing the recent #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger protest in the country to allegedly overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu.
Following Ajaero’s first appearance on August 29, the police, in another letter signed by the Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ibitoye Alajide, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, asked him to appear again on Thursday, September 5, alongside with the NLC General Secretary “to answer questions over alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property.”
The letter read: “In furtherance of investigations into the alleged case of criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause breach of public peace and malicious damage to properties in which your name featured, you are requested to come along with Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, FID, through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 112, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Thursday, 5th September 2024 at 11 am.”
When contacted by The PUNCH on Thursday over the non-appearance of the invited labour leaders, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, promised he would get back to our correspondent.
He had, however, yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
