Amnesty international Nigeria in reaction to what it calls the unlawful arrest of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Joe Ajaero by the Department of State Services, DSS.The body says the labour union leader must be immediately and unconditionally released.
Isa Sanusi Director Amnesty International Nigeria said in a statement that 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.
Amnesty international said 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.
It says the growing culture of impunity and disdain for workers’ rights to organize and seek better welfare must stop.
The statement worries that President Tinubu is setting a new record of utter disregard for the rule of law, noting that it has observed, in the last one year, the increasing crackdown by the Nigerian authorities on the labour union and civic space.
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It argues that the Nigerian authorities continue to weaponize the police and DSS to repress the human rights of Nigerians.
It noted that 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, and the country is also a member of the International Labour Organization, whose fundamental principles include the right to organize and are binding on all members.
It warns that Under international human rights law, workers can not be targeted for participating in trade union activities.
Amnesty International stressed that Joe Ajaero is arrested solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights and must be immediately and unconditionally released
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
