Linus Okorie, former Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South and ex-member of the House of Representatives, has accused the Nigerian Police of being used to disrupt the Labour Party. Okorie claims that the recent invitation of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by the police is part of a broader effort to intimidate the NLC and interfere with the LP’s internal politics.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abakaliki, Okorie criticized the current federal administration for transforming Nigeria into a “police state,” where political power and law enforcement are intertwined in ways that undermine democratic processes. He pointed out that the recent national hunger protests had led to numerous reports of police brutality, with Amnesty International citing 13 deaths on the first day of the protests and calling for an investigation.
Okorie highlighted that during the protests, the NLC, led by Ajaero, along with other notable figures and organizations, condemned police violence. He noted that the NLC had been under pressure since July 2024 due to the protests and that the LP-NTC (National Transition Committee) faced obstacles when trying to manage the party following the tenure expiration of the Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) on July 9, 2024.
He accused the police of interfering with the LP-NTC’s efforts, including preventing them from accessing the National Secretariat of the LP on July 13, 2024. Additionally, Okorie recounted a night raid by security agents on the NLC national secretariat on July 7, 2024, which led to the arrest of security guards and the seizure of documents. The police claimed the raid was to uncover incriminating documents related to a subversive figure, a claim that was rejected by the NLC.
Okorie also criticized the police’s recent invitation to Ajaero for questioning over serious allegations including criminal conspiracy and terrorism financing. He found this sudden and unexplained request suspicious, especially given Ajaero’s previous encounter with the police in November 2023, where he was reportedly assaulted during a protest.
He expressed concern that the police’s actions reflect a disregard for citizens’ rights and due process, questioning whether constitutional guarantees for fair hearing are still upheld by security agencies in Nigeria.