The President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Joe Ajaero has been arrested by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja while on his way to attend an official engagement of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in United Kingdom
Penpushing reports that the labour union made this known in a statement shared on its X handle, explaining that Ajaero was arrested by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS, and subsequently detained at the office of the Nigeria Security Agency (NSA).
The President and the labour have been having running battles with the federal government over what the union described as a clampdown by security agencies, while it is recalled that Ajaero has been summoned twice by the police in recent weeks over allegations surrounding a Briton, Drew Povey, who owns a bookshop at the labour union headquarters.
Penpushing further reports that the Amnesty International in reaction by its head Isa Sanusi strongly condemned what it called unlawful arrest of Ajaero by the Department of State Services (DSS) and demanded for his immediate and unconditional release.
“The arbitrary arrest of Joe Ajaero shows an escalating crackdown on human rights and restrictions on civic space by the government of President Bola Tinubu. President Bola Tinubu’s government persistently attacks and undermines the operations of the NLC, through fabricated allegations, raids on NLC headquarters and other forms of harassment and intimidation’.
‘This growing culture of impunity and disdain for workers’ rights to organize and seek better welfare must stop. President Tinubu is setting a new record of utter disregard for the rule of law,” the statement added.
Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that on August 7, 2024, the police raided the bookshop located on the second floor of the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) known as Pascal Bafyau Labour House, while their acclaimed target, Povey was reportedly not in Nigeria at the time of the raid.
The Police Intelligence Response Team (NPF-IRT) later summoned Ajaero to appear for questioning over allegations of criminal conspiracy and terrorism financing, while he was initially scheduled to appear on August 20,2024, he did not honour the invitation until August 29, 2024 after his master’s degree examination.
Penpushing reports that he was again summoned alongside the General Secretary of the union, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, by the Police through the Nigerian Police Force Intelligence Department (NPF-FID).
The duo were expected to appear on September 5, 2024, but their legal team requested they be allowed to do so on September 24, 2024, while the claim of the Nigerian government was that Povey was spearheading a plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
Penpushing further reports that the police thereafter, issued a warrant of arrest against him while the Federal High Court formally declared him wanted, and equally issued arrest warrants for two Nigerians allegedly linked to the Briton, who has denied the allegation and urged the government not to criminalise peaceful protests in Nigeria.
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