The presidency has reacted to the comment made by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the United Kingdom (UK) over the arrest of Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
In a statement on Tuesday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to President
Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, said Ajaero is not above the law in
Nigeria.
He dismissed the allegation that the agents of the
government violated the rights of the labour leader.
Onanuga said the NLC president was arrested by operatives of
the Department of State Services (DSS) because he refused to honour the
invitation of a law enforcement agency carrying out an investigation.
BACKGROUND
On Monday, Ajaero was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport
in Abuja while he was about to board a flight to the UK.
Benson Ukpa, the NLC spokesperson, said Ajaero was going to
the UK at Britain’s TUC invitation.
Upah said Ajaero’s arrest and detention thwarted his plans
to “represent Nigerian workers’ interests at a pivotal international labour
conference”.
After the labour leader’s arrest, NLC alerted all its
affiliates, state councils, and Nigerian workers to remain “vigilant and on
high alert”.
The labour union also demanded his “unconditional” release
before 12 midnight. But the DSS released the NLC president on Monday night.
Recall that Ajaero was arrested for failing to
honour a police invitation over a petition by Air Peace Airlines.
Reacting to the arrest, Omotade Makinwa, Air Peace
spokesperson, said the police acted a year after the petition was withdrawn.
Meanwhile, a video clip in which a leader of the UK TUC is
condemning the Nigerian government for the arrest of Ajaero has appeared on
social media.
UK Trade Union Congress Condemns Nigerian Govt Over 'Unlawful' Arrest Of NLC President Joe Ajaero pic.twitter.com/TGtOFckpYT
— Nigeria Labour Congress HQ (@NLCHeadquarters) September 10, 2024
‘AJAERO SHOULD HAVE
HONOURED POLICE INVITATION’
Onanuga said Ajaero should have honoured the police
invitation, noting that “there is no adversarial relationship between the
labour movement in Nigeria and the government”.
“The Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom opened its
conference today in London, with its leader making false claims about human
rights abuses and violations in Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“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.
“Like the United
Kingdom and other civilised nations, Nigeria is a country of law governed by
the constitution.
“We 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.”
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