From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of its President, Joe Ajaero, before midnight, Monday, September 9.
The NLC announced that it will hold an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) on Tuesday to discuss decisive actions against what it referred to as the ‘current forces of retrogression.’
Ajaero was arrested by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while en-route to the United Kingdom, where he was scheduled to attend and address the Congress of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Britain.
A communiqué issued following an emergency meeting of the NLC’s National Administrative Council (NAC) condemned what it termed the brazen and unlawful detention of Ajaero by the Nigerian State, carried out without any legal warrant or justification.
The Congress said that this detention is an affront to the rights of workers and undermines the democratic principles of freedom of movement and expression. It insisted that Ajaero had done nothing wrong but fulfil his legitimate duties.
Consequently, the NLC has placed all its affiliates, State Councils, civil society allies, and the Nigerian populace on red alert, stating that Ajaero’s detention is not only an attack on the NLC leadership but also on the rights of all workers and citizens to organise, protest, and express themselves freely.
The document signed by Prince Adewale, NLC Deputy President, read: “The Council unequivocally condemns the brazen and illegal detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero by the Nigerian State without any legal warrant or justification.
“The NLC notes with grave concern that Comrade Ajaero was lawfully discharging his duties to represent Nigerian workers and had not committed any offence warranting such action. His detention is an affront to the rights of workers and the democratic principles of freedom of movement and expression.
“The NLC demands the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero before 12 midnight today. The Council reiterates that Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive or a criminal, and his detention is an act of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent and stifling the labour movement’s voice in Nigeria. NAC also demands the immediate reversal of the current hike in the price of petrol to N617/Litre.
“The Congress places all its affiliates, State Councils, Civil society allies, and the Nigerian populace on red alert. The detention of Comrade Ajaero is an attack not just on the NLC leadership but on the rights of all workers and citizens to organise, protest, and express themselves freely.
“The NLC will not stand by while these rights are trampled upon. This provocation is another attempt by the State to scuttle the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage. The NLC reaffirms its commitment to defending the rights of Nigerian workers and citizens. The Congress will not relent in its efforts to oppose all forms of oppression.
“NAC-in-session therefore summons an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) by 9:00 AM tomorrow, the 10th day of September 2024 to take compelling action to engage the current forces of retrogression.”
Meanwhile, a coalition called the United Action Front of Civil Society has described the arrest and detention of the NLC president as an attempt to cause national anarchy.
The group, in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Mallam Hamisu Santuraki, criticized the
Department of State Services (DSS) for departing from established norms, which typically involve extending formal invitations to high-profile individuals rather than employing aggressive and demeaning tactics.
The group argued that Ajaero, a respected leader in both the labour movement and among the Nigerian populace, should have been treated with the utmost respect and due process.
The coalition warned that the rough handling of Ajaero could potentially lead to widespread unrest and civil disobedience across the country.
They urged the immediate release of Ajaero, asserting that the DSS’s actions could incite a national crisis if not promptly addressed.
“The United Action Front of Civil Society frowns strongly at the needless show of force by the Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in abducting the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero in a Gestapo manner at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to attend the Conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the United Kingdom, which is billed to commence today.
“We wish to state that the DSS has for no reason broken the civil and conventional practice earlier adopted by the police as touching security issues with well-known high profile citizens and leaders of the people like the President of the NLC by extending invitations to them rather than employing dehumanising tactics such as forceful abduction to embarrass and intimidate them like common criminals.
“As a matter of fact, Comrade Joe Ajaero is a huge Leader of both the Labour movement and the masses of Nigeria given his popular position as the President of the NLC and therefore deserves to be treated with profound decorum and courtesy. Consequently, security issues with him should be handled with due process and not in the rough manner displayed by security agents today capable of causing national chaos and anarchy
“For us in the organised civil society and pro democracy movement of Nigeria, the abduction of Ajaero today is brash and indecent on the part of Nigerian security operatives and should be condemned by all Nigerians. We, therefore, wish to unequivocally condemn this needless rascality employed by the DSS today against the President of the NLC, which has already generated shockwaves through the length and breadth of the country and may lead to mass resistance and civil disobedience in the country if Ajaero is not released immediately by the State
“Finally, as a major pillar of the Labour and Civil Society Front, LCSFront, we wish to call on our allies nationwide to immediately commence national consultations on how best to halt the growing police state in Nigeria as evidenced by the massive repression of civil and democratic space by state agents in Nigeria,” the statement read.
