Amnesty International has condemned the arrest and detention of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a Monday statement, Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, accused President Bola Tinubu of setting a new standard for impunity with this action.
Ajaero was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday while en route to an official assignment in the UK. He was scheduled to attend the Trade Union Congress conference in London starting today.
Sanusi said, “Amnesty International strongly condemns the unlawful arrest of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero by the Department of State Services (DSS) today. The labour union leader must be immediately and unconditionally released.
“The arbitrary arrest of Joe Ajaero shows an escalating crackdown on human rights and restrictions on civic space by the government of President Bola Tinubu.
“President Bola Tinubu’s government persistently attacks and undermines the operations of the NLC, through fabricated allegations, raids on NLC headquarters and other forms of harassment and intimidation. This growing culture of impunity and disdain for workers’ rights to organize and seek better welfare must stop.
“President Tinubu is setting a new record of utter disregard for the rule of law.
“Amnesty International has observed, in the last one year, the increasing crackdown by the Nigerian authorities on the labour union and civic space. The authorities continue to weaponize the police and SSS to repress the human rights of Nigerians.
“Nigeria is a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, including trade union membership and activities. The country is also a member of the International Labour Organization, whose fundamental principles include the right to organize, are binding on all members.”
“Under international human rights law workers cannot be targeted for participating in trade union activities. The Nigerian authorities have an obligation not only to respect the rights of workers but also to protect these rights from abuse.
“Joe Ajaero is arrested solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights and must be immediately and unconditionally released,” the statement concluded.