The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, has condemned the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero by the Department of State Service (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The network also kicked against the siege to the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project SERAP following a 48-hour deadline given to President Bola Tinubu to reverse the recent hike in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol.
A statement by the Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor, noted that the Federal Government was making Nigeria a laughing stock amongst the comity of nations by arresting Labour leaders and Civil Rights Activists as government’s actions run contrary to the United Nation’s Chatter on human and people’s rights and a violation of freedom of expression as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as Amended.
The Executive Director of ANEEJ therefore called for the immediate release of the NLC President and the vacation of SERAP’s office because government’s action was sending the wrong signals to the international community about the Tinubu administration’s muzzling of the civic space in Nigeria.
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“Labour and SERAP’s Leaders are being persecuted because they called on government to reverse the pump price of petrol that has afflicted untold hardship on over 160 million Nigerians. We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Ajaero and all civil society leaders in their detention,”
Ugolor also said that “We at ANEEJ also condemn the increase in the pump price of petrol because Nigerians are facing untold hardship at the moment and arresting Labour and Civil Society leaders who speak against government’s harsh economic policies is unacceptable in a democracy.The Federal Government should understand the implications of its actions.”
In the statement, ANEEJ further explained that “Nigerians are suffering from the unabating increase in the pump price of petrol which has pushed many citizens to their early graves and many others unable to access basic medical care, food and basic education.”
Rev David Ugolor added that Civil Society Leaders cannot fold their arms and watch fellow Nigerians die of hunger and starvation, while government officials cruise in posh aircrafts and cars.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
