Following his detention by security personnel on Monday, Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has been urged to be released immediately and without conditions.
On his trip to the UK at the request of the British Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ajaero was detained at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In view of “this troubling development,” the union has placed all of its affiliates, State Councils, allies in civil society, and all patriotic Nigerians on the highest alert, according to a statement signed by Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs. The statement claims that Ajaero has been placed under arrest and that it is unknown where he is or how he is doing physically because “all efforts we have made to get in touch with him have proved abortive.”
We would like to assert unequivocally that Comrade Ajaero has been held without a valid instrument or court order. No, Joe Ajaero is not wanted. Since no law enforcement agency has declared him wanted, his arrest is obviously a flagrant act of illegality and intimidation.
“The laws of our country do not justify his detention; it is a blatant act of intimidation.” The idea of depriving a law-abiding individual of his freedom and preventing him from traveling is an affront to our democratic and natural rights as a society and as employees.
“This is a clear example of the extreme lawlessness being maintained by the Nigerian government and its agencies in their attempt to muzzle any opposition or dissenting voice in the nation while the government’s economic policies continue to cause the people immense misery and hardship.”
“Such acts directly violate the fundamental rights of individuals and organizations to freely express their opinions and engage in their activities. They are not only immoral but also undemocratic. “The Congress places all of its affiliates, State Councils, allies in civil society, and all patriotic Nigerians on the highest alert level in view of this alarming development. The Congress will not remain silent when its members’ and leaders’ rights are violated. As a result, we demand that comrade Joe Ajaero be released immediately and without conditions.
Furthermore, we urge all proponents of democracy, human rights organizations, and the international community to pay attention to this growing authoritarian trend in Nigeria. Part of the NLC statement said, “The world must bear witness to these assaults on human dignity, civil liberties, and the rule of law.”
The union declared that it will not back down from its unwavering stance of defending workers’ rights in the face of the state’s coercive methods.
“Once more, we call for Comrade Joe Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release as well as the end of all types of intimidation directed towards labor leaders, the Nigerian working class, and even defenseless bystanders who express divergent views.
It continued, “We equally demand that the state frees all Nigerians incarcerated in Nigerian prisons for using their democratic right to participate in nationwide protests known as #EndBadGovernance rallies.”
The Organs of Congress are currently holding a closed-door meeting, the results of which will be made public, the NLC further revealed.
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