- Arrest, an affront to workers’ rights, democratic principles – Labour
- Ajaero not above the law, some Nigerians reply NLC
- Amnesty International slams FG, says Tinubu going too far
The National Union of Electricity Employees has demanded immediate and unconditional release without harm of its General Secretary and President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, arrested on Monday by the Department of State Services.
Ajaero was arrested by the DSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where he was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom, UK, for an official assignment.
Ajaero was on his way to attend the conference of the Trade Union Congress, UK, holding on Monday.
NUEE in a statement by its Acting General Secretary, Igwebike Dominic, put workers in the nation’s power sector on red alert for any eventuality.
The statement read “We are perplexed with the information that Joe Ajaero who is the General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees and President of Nigeria Labour Congress was whisked away by agents of the Nigerian state while on his way to the United Kingdom on the invitation of the Trade Union Congress of Britain.
“Joe Ajaero has been detained and treated like a fugitive that he is not without access to his lawyers, families and colleagues. This brazen act of intimidation and harassment is a violation of his fundamental rights and freedom as a Nigerian citizen.
“We are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Joe Ajaero and we are saying to the government to desist from its unscrupulous harassment of labour leaders and Nigerian workers who speak out on the crushing hardship they are battling with caused by the irresponsible acts of the government that has turned deaf ears to the groaning of the people that they are governing.
“The last we know, Nigeria is still a democratic nation, so why is the government witch-hunting and trying to silence those that speak out to protest their deplorable state of living and economic hardship?
“Joe Ajaero represents the Nigerian workers and the common man on the street. This act of the government signifies trampling on masses and is tantamount to beating a child and preventing the child from crying. An injury to Joe Ajaero is an injury to all Nigerian workers and Electricity employees in particular.
“Nigeria is our collective country, our leaders should not make us live like slaves that cannot express themselves in our country. We demand unequivocal and unconditional release of Com. Joe Ajaero without any harm meted to him. We are using this medium to put all our members on alert for further directives.”
Also, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has condemned the arrest of Ajaero by the DSS.
In a statement on Monday, signed by the Head of Media at MWUN, John Ikemefuna, the union said it would comply with decisions taken by the NLC to ensure Ajaero’s immediate release.
“The MWUN under the leadership of Adewale Adeyanju, has kicked against the abduction of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero by security apparatus at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his invitation to attend workers congress by the Trade Union Congress of Britain,” the statement read in part.
According to the union, Ajaero was to address a global assembly of workers on behalf of the Nigerian workers at the TUC of the United Kingdom.
MWUN stated that it is in the public domain that Ajaero is not a fugitive anywhere in the world, therefore, his arrest without warrant and detention is condemnable in its entirety.
The maritime workers stated that the act of the security agents infringed on the fundamental human rights of Ajaero who had been held incommunicado on Monday morning with no traces of his whereabouts.
“It’s also on record that Ajaero is a Nigerian citizen and not in any way a wanted person by the Nigerian state.
“Therefore, his abduction was just a deliberate act to humiliate, dehumanize him; and a wholesome act of intimidation of the labor president, which by all measure is unjustifiable by the laws of the land,” MWUN lamented.
The union, however, frowned over this ugly incident on the NLC boss, whose rights have been extremely violated by the security agents, “hence, the MWUN is calling for his immediate and unconditional release,”
“Given the foregoing, the union would have no other option if he’s not released but to comply with directives that may come from the NLC on this matter,” the union warned.
Similarly, the NLC said Ajaero was detained without any legal warrant or formal instrument, describing it as a brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation.
This was contained in a statement by the Head of Information and Public Affairs, NLC, Benson Upah on Monday.
Upah said Ajaero’s whereabouts was unknown as all efforts made to get in touch with him have proved abortive.
Condemning the detention, he said the act was a bid to silence every voice of dissent and opposition in the country.
The statement read, “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.
“This is an unmistakable demonstration of the height of lawlessness being perpetuated by the Nigerian government and its agencies in their bid to silence every voice of dissent and opposition in the country as the economic policies of the government continue to afflict the people with monumental suffering and hardship. Such actions are not only undemocratic but immoral as well as a direct affront to the fundamental rights of citizens and organizations to lawfully express their views and carry out their activities.”
The union called for the immediate release of their president saying, “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 organisations 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.”
Tinubu going too far, Amnesty International slams DSS
Also, Amnesty International has criticised President Bola Tinubu for the ‘unlawful’ invasion of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project office by operatives of the Department of State Services.
SERAP had, via its X handle on Monday, raised the alarm that officers from the Department of State Services had taken over its Abuja office.
“President Tinubu must immediately direct the DSS to end the harassment, intimidation, and attacks on the rights of Nigerians,” SERAP added.
Reacting to the incident, Amnesty International, in a post on X, said the president was going too far in his administration’s efforts to suppress dissenting voices.
The post read, “Amnesty International received a disturbing report of the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project by operatives of the DSS. President Bola Tinubu is going too far in his government’s repressive efforts to silence dissenting voices.”
DSS raid on SERAP’s office condemnable, says Falana
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has also condemned the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project by operatives of the Department of State Services.
Falana stated that the invasion of the organisation’s office was unlawful and an abuse of power.
The senior lawyer urged the Federal Government to prosecute whoever was responsible for the invasion.
He said, “I condemn the invasion of SERAP’s office. The Tinubu government must urgently fish out the officers who carried out the invasion of SERAP’s office in the name of the government.
“Anyone found to be responsible for the invasion must be prosecuted. The government must allow human rights defenders to freely carry out their work, consistent with the Nigerian Constitution.”
Air Peace denies involvement in NLC president, Ajaero’s arrest
Also, Air Peace has distanced itself from the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson for the airline, Omotade Makinwa, Air Peace said it was reacting to media reports insinuating that the secret police picked the NLC president over a petition submitted by the airline.
Makinwa noted that the report had created negative publicity for the airline.
The publicists complained that it submitted a petition over a year ago but the police refused to act on it.
The statement read in part, “Air Peace Airline expresses deep concern over recent media reports regarding the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress in connection to a petition filed by the airline in September 2023. This development, which has led to negative publicity, does not reflect the current relationship between Air Peace and the NLC.
“It is important to clarify the events leading up to the petition. On May 3, 2023, the NLC disrupted Air Peace operations as part of a broader conflict with the Imo State Government. Although Air Peace had no involvement in the dispute between the NLC and the Imo State Government, our airline was unfortunately used as a tool to exert pressure on the government. This unlawful disruption of our services caused significant financial losses and impacted the travel plans of many Nigerians across multiple states.
“In response to this disruption, Air Peace’s legal team submitted a formal petition against the NLC to the Nigeria Police. Despite our repeated efforts to follow up on the petition, the police failed to take prompt action.”
However, the airline added that “over a year later, the Nigeria Police have chosen to act on the original petition, which has now led to the alleged arrest of the NLC president.”
Makinwa said, “Before this arrest, the airline and the NLC had already reached an amicable resolution, and Air Peace had withdrawn its petition.
Police extend Ajaero’s invite to September 30
Meanwhile, Ajaero and the Secretary General of the NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja, will be questioned by the Nigeria Police Force on September 30, 2024.
They will be grilled over petitions written against the NLC.
Human rights lawyer and counsel for the NLC, Femi Falana, SAN, had stated that Ajaero and Ugboaja were not re-invited by the police as regards terrorism financing as reported by some media outlets.
Falana had clarified that the duo were invited due to petitions written against them by Airpeace.
Airpeace had accused them of “public disruption.”
Falana noted that the police would now quiz Ajaero and Ugboaja on September 30.
“Airpeace itself noted that it has withdrawn the petition. So, why do the police still want to quiz them on September 30? Yes, they have agreed to the September 30 extension,” he said.
Ajaero and Ugboaja, through their lawyer, Falana, had demanded an extended timeline for the invite extended to them by the police.
