JUST IN: Ajaero’s Arrest Aimed At Silencing Our Voice — NLC
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the arrest of its president, Joe Ajaero, who was reportedly detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday while en route to the United Kingdom. According to the NLC, Ajaero was taken without a legal warrant or formal justification, an action the union describes as a blatant act of intimidation and lawlessness.
In a statement issued by NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, the union expressed concern over Ajaero’s whereabouts, stating that all attempts to contact him had failed. The NLC condemned the arrest as an attempt to silence dissent and opposition voices within the country, particularly in response to the government’s economic policies.
Upah explained that Ajaero was scheduled to attend and address the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK, a global platform focused on workers’ rights, social justice, and economic fairness. The NLC emphasized that Ajaero was not wanted by any law enforcement agency and had been detained unlawfully.
The statement read, “Comrade Joe Ajaero has been detained without any legal warrant. His detention is a brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation, as he is not a fugitive. 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.”
The NLC called for Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release, warning that it would not tolerate the violation of its leaders’ and members’ rights. The union also urged the international community, human rights organizations, and advocates of democracy to take note of what it described as rising authoritarianism in Nigeria.
In addition to demanding Ajaero’s release, the NLC called for the release of all citizens detained for participating in protests, particularly those involved in the #EndBadGovernance rallies. The statement concluded by noting that the NLC’s leadership was holding a closed-door meeting, and the outcome would be communicated to the public.
The union remains firm in its commitment to defending workers’ rights and resisting any attempts to suppress lawful expressions of dissent.
