THE leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Department of State Services an ultimatum to release its President, Joe Ajaero.
At the end of a meeting of NLC’s National Administrative Council (NAC) on Monday, the union gave the secret police till midnight on Tuesday to release Ajaero.
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 before his arrest at Abuja airport.
The NLC president had honoured police invitation over allegations of terrorism financing in late August, insisting on his innocence.
The NLC said the union has put all its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies and all patriotic Nigerians on the highest state of alert in the light of “this troubling development.”
In a communique issued at the end of its emergency meeting on Monday “unequivocally condemns the brazen and illegal detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero by the Nigerian State without any legal warrant or justification”.
“His detention is an affront to the rights of workers and the democratic principles of freedom of movement and expression,” the labour union said, even as it demanded Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release “before midnight today”.
“The Council reiterates that Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive or a criminal, and his retention 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 union said.
The union also placed 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 organize, protest, and express themselves freely,” the NLC said.
“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,” the union said, even as it summoned an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) by 9 am on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 “to take compelling action to engage the current forces of retrogression”.