NLC Warns of Industrial Action Over Detention of Its President, Joe Ajaero

The Federal Government of Nigeria has been given an ultimatum to release Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, by midnight on Monday. Mr. Ajaero was arrested earlier on Monday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as he prepared to board a flight to London. He was en route to attend an international conference organized by the Trade Union Congresses in the UK, where he was scheduled to represent Nigerian workers.

Following his arrest, the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) swiftly convened an emergency meeting. In a communique issued after the meeting, the NLC condemned the arrest and demanded Mr. Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release. The union further warned that failure to comply would result in nationwide industrial action.

The government had earlier on August 8 raided the union office in Abuja and later inviting Mr. Ajaero for interrogation on allegations of financing terrorism and other charges. The NLC, however, viewed the government’s actions as an attempt to undermine the influence of the labor movement, which has been vocal in opposing several government policies—policies that have contributed to inflation and deepened poverty in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.

In a strongly-worded statement, NLC Deputy President, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, outlined the union’s stance: “The National Administrative Council (NAC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress convened an emergency meeting today to address the unlawful arrest and detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC. Comrade Ajaero was detained at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while en route to the United Kingdom to participate in critical discussions on workers’ rights and social justice.”

The communique continued, “After extensive deliberation, the NAC unequivocally condemns the Nigerian State’s brazen and illegal detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero without legal justification. Comrade Ajaero was performing his lawful duty representing Nigerian workers and had committed no offense warranting such treatment. His detention is an affront to workers’ rights and a violation of democratic principles, including freedom of movement and expression.”

The NLC demanded Mr. Ajaero’s immediate release by midnight, warning that failure to comply would trigger widespread protests. “Comrade Ajaero is neither a fugitive nor a criminal. His detention is clearly an act of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent and suppressing the labor movement’s voice in Nigeria,” the NLC asserted.

The labor union also used the opportunity to reiterate its demand for the immediate reversal of the recent petrol price hike to ₦617 per litre, an issue that has added to the country’s economic woes. Furthermore, the NLC placed its affiliates, state councils, and civil society partners on high alert, declaring that the arrest of its president was an attack on all workers and citizens, as well as on the fundamental right to organize and protest freely.

NLC also expressed concerns that the government was attempting to derail the implementation of the newly signed National Minimum Wage. The union reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of Nigerian workers and called on the government to reverse what it described as “a dangerous trend of authoritarianism and lawlessness.“

An emergency meeting of the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) has been scheduled for 9:00 AM on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. At this meeting, decisive actions will be considered in response to Mr. Ajaero’s continued detention.

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