The Federal Government has dismissed allegations of human rights violations made by the United Kingdom Trade Union Congress (TUC) regarding the arrest of Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Officials emphasized that no individual, including the NLC president, is above the law in Nigeria.
On Monday, Ajaero was apprehended at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja as he was preparing to board a flight to the UK. According to Benson Ukpa, the spokesperson for the NLC, Ajaero was traveling to the UK at the invitation of Britain’s Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Upah stated that Ajaero’s arrest and subsequent detention disrupted his intentions to “represent the interests of Nigerian workers at a crucial international labor conference.” Following the labor leader’s arrest, the NLC informed all its affiliates, state councils, and Nigerian workers to stay “vigilant and alert.” The labor union also called for his “unconditional” release by midnight. However, the DSS released the NLC president on Monday night. Reports indicated that Ajaero was arrested for not responding to a police summons related to a petition filed by Air Peace Airlines.
In response to the arrest, Omotade Makinwa, spokesperson for Air Peace, noted that the police took action a year after the petition had been withdrawn. Meanwhile, a video surfaced on social media featuring a leader from the UK TUC condemning the Nigerian government for Ajaero’s arrest. The union leader made these remarks during the TUC 2024 congress in the UK.
Onanuga stated that Ajaero should have complied with the police invitation, emphasizing that “there is no adversarial relationship between the labor movement in Nigeria and the government.”
The statement continued, “The Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom commenced its conference today in London, where its leader made unfounded claims regarding human rights abuses and violations in Nigeria.”
It went on to assert, “The Nigerian government has been wrongly and falsely accused of rights violations due to the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, being prevented from traveling abroad after he disregarded the invitation from a law enforcement agency involved in 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.
Like the United Kingdom and other civilised nations, Nigeria is a country of law governed by the constitution.
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NNPC, Chevron JV eye 165,000 bopd oil production target by Dec 2024We are not aware that there is anyone in the United Kingdom 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 Mr. Ajaero has subjected law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.
“We, therefore, reject any notion and allusion to human rights violations in Nigeria. The accusations made by the Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom are, thus, unfounded and based on a misunderstanding of the situation.
“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 Department of State Services to Mr. Ajaero has nothing to do with his role as the President of NLC.”
