The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of its President, Joe Ajaero, by the Nigerian government, calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Ajaero was reportedly arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while en route to the United Kingdom to attend a Trade Union Congress meeting.
In a communiqué issued Monday evening by NLC’s Deputy President, Adeyanju Adewale, the National Administrative Council described Ajaero’s detention as “brazen and illegal,” labeling it an “affront to the rights of workers and democratic principles.”
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The NLC has demanded Ajaero’s release by midnight, warning that failure to comply could provoke significant unrest.
The council also used the opportunity to renew its opposition to the recent petrol price hike, demanding that the government reverse the increase to N617 per liter. The NLC has placed its affiliates, state councils, and civil society allies on high alert, signaling its readiness to mobilize against what it described as “authoritarianism and lawlessness” by the government.
In response to the arrest, the NLC has summoned an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council to discuss further actions against the government.
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The union has reaffirmed its commitment to defending workers’ rights and opposing any form of oppression, urging the government to reverse what it sees as a “dangerous trend” and to implement the new National Minimum Wage.
“The NLC demands the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero before midnight today,” the communiqué stated. “The council unequivocally condemns the brazen and illegal detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero by the Nigerian state without any legal warrant or justification.”
As the situation unfolds, the NLC’s stance indicates a potential escalation in its confrontation with the government, with serious implications for industrial relations and the broader political climate in the country.
Grassroots Parrot will give an update on the outcome of the emergency meeting and subsequent actions by the NLC in the coming hours.