NLC Vows to Confront FG Over Ajaero's Detention: A Battle for Workers' Rights
By Ella Michaels
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, by 12 midnight 9th September 2024. Ajaero's detention by the DSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has sparked outrage among labour leaders and workers.
The NLC's National Administrative Council (NAC) condemned Ajaero's detention as "brazen and illegal" and argued that he had not committed any offense. "Ajaero was lawfully discharging his duties to represent Nigerian workers and had not committed any offense warranting such action," the Council noted.
The NLC has also demanded a reversal of the recent petrol price hike to N617/Litre, describing it as an attack on workers' rights. In a communiqué issued at the end of the NAC meeting, the Council placed its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and the Nigerian populace on red alert, warning that Ajaero's detention is not only an attack on the NLC leadership but also on the rights of all workers and citizens.
"The NLC will not stand by while these rights are trampled upon. This provocation is another attempt by the state to scuttle the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage," the communiqué read in part. "The Congress will not relent in its efforts to oppose all forms of oppression."
