‘I Was Quizzed On Links With Wynne, Protests, Labour Party, Air Peace Petition’
THE Federal Government has rejected the accusation of rights abuse against it by the United Kingdom (UK) Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the arrest of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, insisting that nobody, including Ajaero, is above the law in Nigeria.
Recall that Ajaero was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to London to attend a conference of the TUC-UK.
In its reaction to the accusation, the Federal Government, in a statement by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified that Ajaero was arrested because he refused to honour the invitation of a law enforcement agency carrying out an investigation.
He stated: “The Nigerian government was wrongly and falsely accused of rights abuse because the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, was stopped from travelling abroad after he snubbed the invitation of a law enforcement agency conducting an ongoing investigation.
“Clearly, under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended), no person is above the summons of law enforcement agencies and lawful investigation.”
Onanuga continued: “We are not aware that there is anyone in the UK or anywhere in Europe and the United States, trade union leaders inclusive, who will flagrantly ignore the invitation or summons of MI5 or Scotland Yard or treat the FBI with the level of disdain Ajaero has subjected law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.
“In the United States, for example, former President Donald Trump has been the subject of numerous investigations and prosecutions in courts in several states since he left office.
“Mr. Hunter Biden, son of the President of the United States, has been the subject of a lawful investigation by the FBI.
“We, therefore, reject any notion and allusion to human rights violations in Nigeria. The accusations made by the TUC, UK are, thus, unfounded and based on a misunderstanding of the situation.
“Besides, the Nigerian Government is being led by a pro-democracy activist President who will do everything to protect civil liberties and the rights of all citizens. There is no adversarial relationship between the Labour Movement in Nigeria and the government.
“While labour unions and the government may not always agree on policy direction, the government has consistently shown readiness to engage on any issue with Labour, despite the latter’s political partisanship.
“Contrary to the erroneous impression being created, the invitation extended by the DSS to Ajaero has nothing to do with his role as the President of NLC.
“As a responsible citizen of Nigeria, Ajaero should honour any invitation from our security agencies and resolve any issues that may arise during the investigation, instead of stirring adverse public opinion against the security agencies.
“It is worth reminding Nigerians and the global community that the federal government recognises that the Labour Movement exists to protect and defend the interests of its members. What is also worth noting is that Labour, in most cases, only advances ideological positions that fly in the face of economic realities.
“Many ideological stances of the Labour unions in Nigeria in the past have only stunted the economic growth and development of the country and even compromised the material well-being of the workers and the poor people they protect.
“A case in point was the strong opposition of the NLC and TUC to the sale of Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries to Bluestar Consortium, promoted in 2007 by Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“Seventeen years after the Labour Movement forced the successor government of the late Umar Musa Yar’Adua to cancel the sale of the two refineries, none of the four government-owned refineries worked.
“In the obverse, Dangote, one of the promoters of Bluestar, has built the largest single-train refinery in the world. In a twist of fate, the same Labour Movement that fiercely opposed Dangote from taking over the two refineries in 2007 hailed him on completing his 650,000-bpd refinery in Lagos.
“The administration of President Tinubu will continue to promote the best economic interest of Nigerians, despite the current challenges.
“It will also continue to pursue policies and programmes that will expand national economic output and create prosperity for our citizens.”
Meanwhile Ajaero has recounted his ordeal in the hands of operatives of DSS and other security agencies, following his arrest, even as he confirmed that secret Police had released his seized international passport and mobile phones, shortly after his release from their custody.
His eventual release, following local and international pressures, with the NLC threatening to shutdown the economy if he was freed by midnight of Monday, saying “all modalities for a nationwide strike had been concluded and it was only left for the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting earlier scheduled for Tuesday, September 10 to endorse and declare the strike yesterday.”
Ajaero told Vanguard: “It was like the DSS arrested me on behalf of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) department of the Police, because IRT operatives came to interrogate me and take my statement while I was detained.
“The DSS also interrogated me and took my statement. I do not know why they have to embarrass me publicly like that. The same IRT operatives in whose office we were on August 29, 2024, alongside Mr. Femi Falana, came and asked the same questions I was asked in the previous meeting with them.
“They asked about the operator of Iva Valley Bookshop on the Second Floor of NLC secretariat building. They asked me whether we had communicated on phone, whether he (the Iva Valley operator) communicated with me in writing and so on.
“They also asked if I know the (#EndBadGovernance or #EndHunger) protesters, especially Eleojo Opaluwa, a staff of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). I told them I knew him because I employed him at NUEE.
“They equally asked about the Labour Party (LP), whether we are running the party. I told them we do not run Labour Party, but that we are a trustee of the party. I also told them that the Labour Party they see today was founded when Adams Oshiomhole was President of NLC.
“Also, they asked about the issue of Air Peace, which we had settled since last year.
“It is like the security agents are searching for evidence on how and what to nail us with. That is why they have continued to embarrass, persecute, intimidate and do whatever they liked to cow us.”
Meanwhile, the NLC said it planned to conduct a comprehensive medical check on Ajaero to ensure his health had not been compromised as a result of the arrest and treatment meted out on him by security operatives, adding: “While we celebrate his release, NLC remains vigilant.
“We will conduct a comprehensive medical check on Ajaero to ensure his health has not been compromised as a result of the illegal and unjust treatment meted out on him. The well-being of our President is paramount and we will not rest until we are assured that his health is intact.
“The arrest and detention of Ajaero is a stark reminder of the length to which the Nigerian state will go to silence the voice of labour and crush dissent.
“NLC unequivocally condemns this reckless abuse of power and reaffirms our commitment to standing firm against all forms of oppression, intimidation and lawlessness.”
The Congress reiterated its call for the release of all #EndBadGovernance protesters being detained, saying: “We once again, demand the release of all citizens languishing in jails across the country for their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protest around the country; stoppage of the massive clampdown on popular voices that espouse dissenting opinions; cessation of the muzzling of fundamental freedoms currently going on in the country; reversal of the hikes in the price of petrol and electricity tariffs and the immediate implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.
“The NLC will not waver in its duty to defend the rights of workers and we remain prepared to take all necessary actions to protect these rights and restore justice.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC, which was proposed for today (Tuesday) has, therefore, been suspended to assess the situation and determine the next steps in our collective struggle.
“We call on all Nigerians, our affiliates and the international community to remain steadfast and vigilant as we continue this struggle.
“NLC is committed to ensuring that justice prevails and that the rights of workers and citizens are respected. Together, we will overcome these challenges and secure a better future for all.”
