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The Nigeria Labour Congress has criticised the arrest of their president, Joe Ajaero who was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday morning at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
According to a press statement by Benson Upah, the Head of Information and Public Affairs at the NLC, Ajaero was preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom for the Congress of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), where he was scheduled to represent Nigerian workers and address global issues related to workers’ rights, social justice, and economic fairness.
Upah stated that efforts to contact Ajaero and ascertain his whereabouts or state of health have been unsuccessful.
The statement condemned his detention, alleging that it occurred without any legal warrant or formal instrument. Upah described the detention as a “brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation” and emphasised that Ajaero has not been declared wanted by any law enforcement agency.
“This morning, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, was seized and whisked away by agents of the Nigerian State while on his way to the United Kingdom on the invitation of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Britain. Comrade Ajaero was set to attend and address the global gathering of workers on behalf of Nigerian workers at the Congress of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK, a platform where critical discussions on workers’ rights, social justice, and economic fairness are discussed. We are yet to ascertain his whereabouts or his state of health as all efforts we have made to get in touch with him have proved abortive.
“We wish to categorically state that Comrade Ajaero has been detained without any legal warrant or formal instrument. Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive. His detention is therefore a brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation as he has not been declared wanted by any law enforcement body. His detention is a brazen act of intimidation and completely unjustified under the laws of our nation. The mere contemplation of not just stopping a lawful citizen from travelling but also sequestering his freedom is an affront to our democratic and natural rights as a people and as workers.”
The NLC accused the Nigerian government and its agencies of perpetuating lawlessness and attempting to silence dissent, criticising the government’s actions as undemocratic and immoral, highlighting that such measures violate the fundamental rights of citizens and organisations to freely express their views.
In response to the arrest, the NLC has called upon its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and all patriotic Nigerians to remain vigilant. The Congress demands the immediate and unconditional release of Joe Ajaero and the cessation of harassment against labor leaders and dissenting voices. They also urged the international community, human rights organizations, and democracy advocates to take note of what they describe as rising authoritarianism in Nigeria.
The NLC also announced that its leadership is holding a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation, and the outcome will be made public.
“In light of this troubling development, the Congress puts all its affiliates, State Councils, Civil society allies and all patriotic Nigerians on the highest state of alert. The Congress will not stand idly by while the rights of its leaders and members are trampled upon. Accordingly, we demand for the immediate and unconditional release of comrade Joe Ajaero.
“Furthermore, we call on the international community, human rights organizations, and all advocates of democracy to take note of this rising wave of authoritarianism in Nigeria. The world must bear witness to these assaults on human dignity, civil liberties, and the rule of law.
“The NLC remains resolute in its commitment to protecting workers’ rights and will not be cowed by the oppressive tactics of the state. Once again, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero and the cessation of all forms of harassment against labour leaders and the Nigerian working class including innocent citizens who hold dissenting opinions. We equally demand that the state frees all Nigerians languishing in various prisons around the country for exercising their democratic rights to protest in the #EndBadGovernance rallies around the country.
“Finally, the Organs of the Congress are in a closed door meeting whose outcome will be made available to the public.”
Chioma Kalu
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