…Suspect conspiracy, foul Play
Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the United Action Front of Civil Society, the Organised Platform of Nigerian Civil Society Platforms and Leaders, has decried the strange fire incident that completely razed down the Lagos residence of the President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, calls for investigation of the incident, says it suspects conspiracy and foul play.
A press statement on Sunday signed by Wale Okunniyi, DG, NCFront, Head, National Coordinating Centre and United Action Front of Civil Society, the leaders of the organised Civil Society of Nigeria were taken aback by the weirdness of the fire incident which left residents of the immediate community of the NLC President with no likely chance of intervention.
The statement read, “The sad and ugly incident raises more questions than answers having occurred, while Comrade Ajaero was leading the country’s labour delegation to a summit of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The organised civil society is therefore extremely disturbed by the incident whose cause was yet to be unraveled more than a week after.
“It is indeed most unsettling and worrisome that such an incident with life-threatening dimension and monumental destruction could occur at the residence of the leader of Nigerian workers without compulsion from the Nigerian government for prompt intervention and investigation by state security agencies.
“The fact that the NLC President is the victim of this strange fire incident further compels our worry that the country may yet be on the verge of sponsored hitmen reminiscent of the military era.
“The United Action Front of Civil Society therefore has no hesitation to hold the Nigerian state and government accountable for the fire incident at the residence of the NLC President until the burden of investigation and full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding the occurrence is established.
“In the interim, it has become compelling to demand for security protection around Comrade Ajaero and his family as well as for vocal leaders of organised labour and civil society platforms.
“The leadership of organised civil platforms in Nigeria under the aegis of the United Action Front of Civil Society also wishes to warn against further bizarre incidents that bear the trappings of covert operation under whatever guise.
“We wish to demand the institution of a thorough independent probe of the incident as a way of reassuring Nigerians, especially leaders of organised platforms of labour and civil society, of their safety and security, while discharging their civic duties and responsibilities in keeping the State and Government awake to their constitutional responsibilities to the Citizens and People of Nigeria.
“While we are cautious in pointing accusing fingers at the direction of elements antagonistic to the posture of the leadership of the Nigerian workers and masses, particularly in the wake of the recent call for national strike by Ajaero led NLC over the wrongheaded and unjustifiable fuel price hike by the Tinubu regime, we are however compelled to attribute the incident to conspiracy and orchestrated foul play.
“To this end, the organised platforms of the Nigerian civil society decries the delay and apparent lack of will from relevant authorities to investigate the incident as it is the conviction of the leaders of the Nigerian civil society that relevant agencies charged with the mandate and responsibility of protection and security of lives and properties should be able to unravel the incident as those charged with the mandate of dealing with breach of safety and perpetration of criminality cannot assumed the posture of onlookers in a matter that bother on our collective apprehension as a people over the safety of our homes and lives,” the statement read.
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