A group known as Dozie-Mezie Owerri Association has given the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, 48 hours to apologise to the national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.
On Wednesday, Ajaero was picked up during a protest of the labour union.
It happened at the Imo council secretariat of the NLC in Owerri.
Joe Ajaero was nabbed by heavily armed police officers.
Ajaero was said to have been beaten and blindfolded immediately after he was arrested by security operatives.
However, the Imo police command said Ajaero was not arrested.
To them, he was taken into protective custody to avoid being lynched by a mob.
Ugly Incident
Expressing displeasure about the incident, the president of the Owerri group, Henry Chidi Opara described the attack on Ajaero as an “ugly incident”.
He was addressing a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.
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Also, he argued that democracy requires tolerance and respect for the fundamental rights of the people.
Opara said: “We give Governor Uzodinma 48 hours to tender the apology.
“The Commissioner of Police in Imo State has a responsibility to protect citizens, especially leaders of NLC who are on national assignment in line with the Constitution.
“There have been several allegations of the Commissioner lending his office to be misused for political vendetta. This is against the Constitution and the Police Act.
The Ultimatum
“We call on the inspector-general of police to request the commissioner of police in Imo state to identify those officers who committed the assault and battery against the Congress President, particularly Mr. Chinasa Nwaneri, SA to Governor Hope Uzodinma, who was identified as the leader of assailants, for prosecution according to the law.
“We want to give public notice that if after 48 hours of this press conference governor Uzodinma has not tendered the public apology, it will be seen as a deliberate affront to Owerri people and clear demonstration of bad faith to Owerri people”.
