Falana speaks on arrest of NLC President, Joe Ajaero 

CITIZENS COMPASS–Solicitor to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Femi Falana, SAN, on Monday, spoke on the arrest of NLC President, Joe Ajaero.

Recall that the Department of State Service (DSS), arrested Ajaero at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on his way to the United Kingdom (UK) for a conference.

Reacting to the arrest, the human rights lawyer , said the arrest had no connection with the earlier invitation by the Nigeria Police Force.

He said, “The invitation to Comrade Joe Ajaero by the police was rescheduled last week. I have contacted the police authorities. The arrest is not related to the police invitation.

“Comrade Ajaero was on his way to London to attend the ongoing TUC conference when he was arrested at the airport this morning by the SSS. No reason has been provided for the arrest by the SSS.”

Recall that Ajaero in the company of Falana and other human rights activists like Maxwell Opara and Deji Adeyanju were recently at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to honour the invite by the Police to Ajaero.

A few days later, the Police also sent another invite which had been rescheduled by the solicitor.
Electricity workers demand release

Meanwhile, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), has demanded immediate and unconditional release of the Ajaero.

The Acting General Secretary of the Union, Igwebike Dominic, in a statement on Monday, put workers in the nation’s power sector on red alert for any eventuality.

According to him, “We are perplexed with the information that Joe Ajaero who is the General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was whisked away by agents of the Nigerian state while on his way to the United Kingdom on the invitation of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, of Britain.

“Joe Ajaero has been detained and treated like a fugitive that he is not without access to his lawyers, families, and colleagues. This brazen act of intimidation and harassment is a violation of his fundamental rights and freedom as a Nigerian citizen.

“We are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Joe Ajaero and we are saying to the government to desist from its unscrupulous harassment of labour leaders and Nigerian workers who speak out on the crushing hardship they are battling with caused by the irresponsible acts of the government that has turned deaf ears to the groaning of the people that they are governing.

“The last we know, Nigeria is still a democratic nation, so why is the government witch-hunting and trying to silence those who speak out to protest their deplorable state of living and economic hardship?

“Joe Ajaero represents the Nigerian workers and the common man on the street. This act of the government signifies trampling on the masses and is tantamount to beating a child and preventing the child from crying. An injury to Joe Ajaero is an injury to all Nigerian workers and Electricity employees in particular.

“Nigeria is our collective country, our leaders should not make us live like slaves that cannot express themselves in our country. We demand unequivocal and unconditional release of Com. Joe Ajaero without any harm meted to him. We are using this medium to put all our members on alert for further directives.”

Ajaero’s arrest has kept many Nigerians in suspense as DSS has not explained so far.