Tinubu govt deploys soldiers, police, others to disrupt workers’ protest enforcing Imo flights blacklist at Abuja airport

President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government on Thursday deployed soldiers, police personnel and operatives of other security agencies to disperse members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

SaharaReporters learnt that the NLC and TUC members had mobilised for a protest at the Abuja airport to enforce their directive to aviation workers to stop all flights to Owerri, Imo.

This followed the assault on the NLC President, Joe Ajaero last week by police personnel reportedly working for Governor Hope Uzodimma. In a statement issued last week, the NLC said Ajaero was beaten and blindfolded immediately after he was arrested by security operatives.

The union said the phones and other personal belongings taken from Ajaero had not been returned.

The union members sang and chanted at the venue of the protest. One of the displayed banners read, ‘We Stand With Oppressed Imo State Workers – An Injury To One Is An Injury To All.’

“Army and police have come to disperse us at Abuja Airport,” one of the protesters told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

“They have not started but the information is that we should be dispersed by force. All forces are here – DSS (Department of State Services), police, army and civil defence.”