Says arrest flagrant act of lawlessness
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the detention of its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, by Nigerian authorities, describing it as a flagrant act of lawlessness aimed at silencing opposition voices.
In a statement released on Monday, the NLC criticized the government’s actions as an alarming assault on democratic rights and freedoms.
The NLC disclosed that Comrade Ajaero was detained early Monday morning while en route to the United Kingdom, where he was scheduled to address the global gathering of workers at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK. The union highlighted that Ajaero’s detention occurred without any legal warrant, emphasizing that he has not been declared a fugitive or wanted by any law enforcement agency.
“We are yet to ascertain his whereabouts or his state of health as all efforts to reach him have proved abortive,” the NLC stated, adding that the detention is an egregious attempt to intimidate and unlawfully restrict a lawful citizen’s freedom.
The NLC further argued that this incident reflects the government’s increasing efforts to suppress dissent amidst widespread discontent over its economic policies, which have exacerbated suffering and hardship across the nation. The union condemned the detention as undemocratic, immoral, and a direct violation of the fundamental rights of citizens and organizations to lawfully express their views and conduct their activities.
In response to this “troubling development,” the NLC has put all its affiliates, State Councils, civil society allies, and all patriotic Nigerians on high alert. The Congress demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Ajaero and called on the international community, human rights organizations, and democracy advocates to take note of what it described as a rising wave of authoritarianism in Nigeria.
Ajaero,NLC Presidents
“The world must bear witness to these assaults on human dignity, civil liberties, and the rule of law,” the statement read, reiterating the NLC’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights and resisting oppressive state tactics.
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The NLC also urged the government to release all Nigerians currently imprisoned for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding democratic rights in the country.
The statement concluded by noting that the Congress’s organs are currently in a closed-door meeting, with the outcome to be communicated to the public in due course.
