The Nigerian Presidency has broken its silence on the arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by the Department of State Services (DSS).

It can be recalled that Ajaero was arrested on Monday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja just as he was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom for a Trade Union Congress (TUC) event. However, he was released later in the day.

In a recent statement, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, clarified that Ajaero’s detention was not a case of human rights abuse, but rather a lawful investigation.

Onanuga explained that Ajaero was invited by the DSS for questioning, but he snubbed the invitation, leading to his detention at the airport in Abuja.

The Presidency rejected allegations of human rights violations made by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the United Kingdom, stating that Nigeria is a country governed by law, just like the UK and other civilized nations.

Onanuga noted that the invitation extended to Ajaero had nothing to do with his role as NLC President, but rather as a responsible citizen of Nigeria.

The Presidency also reminded Nigerians that the labour movement exists to protect and defend the interests of its members, but sometimes advances ideological positions that hinder economic growth and development.

The statement reads:

STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT

NIGERIA, A COUNTRY GOVERNED BY LAW, CATEGORICALLY DENIES ANY HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE

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 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. 

Ajaero, who probably considers himself above the law, was slated to speak at the same conference where the UK TUC leader attacked Nigeria. His actions, however, have serious consequences, as no one is above the law in Nigeria. 

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.

In the United States, for example, former President Donald Trump has been the subject of numerous investigations and prosecutions in courts in several states since he left office. Mr. Hunter Biden, son of the President of the United States, has been the subject of a lawful investigation by the FBI.

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. 

Besides, the Nigerian Government is being led by a pro-democracy activist president who will do everything to protect civil liberties and the rights of all citizens. 

There is no adversarial relationship between the Labour Movement in Nigeria and the government.

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. 

As a responsible citizen of Nigeria, Mr Ajaero should honour any invitation from our security agencies and resolve any issues that may arise during the investigation instead of stirring adverse public opinion against the security agencies.

It is worth reminding Nigerians and the global community that the federal government recognises that the labour movement exists to protect and defend the interests of its members. What is also worth noting is that Labour, in most cases, only advances ideological positions that fly in the face of economic realities.

Many ideological stances of the labour unions in Nigeria in the past have only stunted the economic growth and development of the country and even compromised the material well-being of the workers and the poor people they protect. 

A case in point was the strong opposition of the NLC and TUC to the sale of Port-Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries to Bluestar Consortium, promoted in 2007 by Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. 

Seventeen years after the labour movement forced the successor government of Umar Yar’ Adua to cancel the sale of the two refineries, none of the four government-owned refineries worked.

In the obverse, Mr. Aliko Dangote, one of the promoters of Bluestar, has built the largest single-train refinery in the world. In a twist of fate, the same Labour Movement that fiercely opposed Dangote from taking over the two refineries in 2007 hailed him on completing his 650,000-bpd refinery in Lagos. 

The administration of President Tinubu will continue to promote the best economic interest of Nigerians despite the current challenges. It will also continue to pursue policies and programmes that will expand national economic output and create prosperity for our citizens.

Bayo Onanuga 

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy) 

September 10, 2024