• NLC Demands Respect for Workers’ Rights, End to Intimidation
• Civil Rights Groups Condemn Government Action
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, was released on bail by the Department of State Security (DSS) late Monday night, just minutes before the midnight ultimatum issued by union leaders.
Ajaero had been detained earlier in the day at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he prepared to board a flight to the United Kingdom for the British Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference.
A national officer of the NLC confirmed the labour leader’s release, explaining that the DSS granted him bail after hours of questioning.
Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and activist, also confirmed Ajaero’s release in a post on X (formerly Twitter), as did Deji Adeyanju, one of the NLC’s lawyers, who stated simply, “Yes, he has been released.”
Ajaero’s arrest had caused significant alarm among labour unions, with the NLC and its over 50 affiliate unions threatening nationwide protests if he was not freed before midnight.
The organized labour had warned that members would abandon critical economic facilities across Nigeria in protest of what they termed an “assault on workers’ rights.”
Earlier, Ajaero’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, revealed that the labour leader had informed the DSS about his planned trip to London for the TUC conference.
Opara stated that the DSS had invited Ajaero for questioning over the phone days before, but Ajaero had committed to honoring the invitation on his return from the UK.
“He told them he would meet with them on Monday, September 16, after his official engagement in the UK,” Opara clarified.
In response to the arrest, the NLC convened an emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting, where Deputy President Comrade Prince Adeyanju Adewale emphasized the union’s readiness to act.
“We will not tolerate any form of intimidation. The arrest of Ajaero is an affront to the entire labour movement,” he said.
The NLC issued a communiqué condemning the arrest as a dangerous threat to Nigeria’s democracy. “This detention is an attack on the rights of all Nigerian workers to protest and organize freely,” the communiqué read.
The union also demanded the immediate reversal of the recent fuel price hike, describing the increase as “an insult to the suffering masses.”
Ajaero’s arrest was reportedly linked to allegations of terrorism financing, a charge the Nigeria Police Force had previously raised against him. DSS sources claimed that Ajaero had failed to honor an earlier invitation concerning national security concerns raised by a petition submitted by top NLC leaders. A senior DSS official explained,
“He was intercepted at the airport because he ignored our invitation, despite the seriousness of the issues at hand.”
The DSS official added, “An invitation had been extended to him through the normal channels, and he had promised to meet with us. However, when we discovered that he was about to leave the country, we had no choice but to act.”
Further adding to the tense atmosphere, DSS operatives also raided the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Monday. According to SERAP, DSS officers unlawfully occupied their office and demanded to see its directors. “President Tinubu must immediately direct the DSS to end the harassment and intimidation of Nigerians,” SERAP said in a post on X.
SERAP had recently issued an ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to reverse the recent fuel price increase, which the organization said violated constitutional guarantees and international human rights obligations.
The DSS has not provided an official statement on Ajaero’s arrest or the raid on SERAP. Efforts to reach the agency’s spokesperson were unsuccessful, and a promised response via email had not arrived by press time.
Several groups and individuals have condemned the DSS’s actions. Amnesty International, through its Country Director Isa Sanusi, expressed grave concerns over the arrest and the raid on SERAP.
“President Tinubu is going too far in his efforts to silence dissenting voices,” Sanusi stated during an appearance on Trust TV. Femi Falana, SAN, a leading human rights lawyer, also condemned the raid, calling it “a violation of civil liberties and the Nigerian Constitution.”
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other organizations similarly decried Ajaero’s arrest. TUC President Festus Osifo demanded Ajaero’s immediate release, describing the arrest as “an unacceptable attack on democracy and the rights of workers.”
Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the threat posed to Nigeria’s democracy. “These actions represent a serious attack on the foundations of our democracy. The government must respect the rights of civil society organizations and labour unions to operate freely,” Nwanguma said.
Although Ajaero’s release has temporarily averted immediate labour strikes, the NLC and other unions remain on high alert. With tensions still simmering, many are concerned about the broader implications of the government’s actions on Nigeria’s democratic institutions and civil liberties.
As the situation continues to unfold, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on the government’s next steps, with unions warning that any further infringement on workers’ rights will be met with swift and decisive action.
