Human Rights

Electricity Workers Union Sets To Throw Nigeria Into Nationwide Blackout Over Ajaero’s Arrest

Published

4 months ago

September 9, 2024

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By Joseph Sunday

The Union for the Electricity Workers under the auspice of National Union Of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has declared that they are now set to throw the entire Country into a Nationwide blackout over unexpected arrest of their General Secretary, Joe Ajaero, by the Department of State Services, DSS.

The Electricity Workers Union adding, demanded for the immediate and unconditional release of Joe Ajaero

Ajaero, who is also the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while trying to board a flight to the UK for an official assignment.

The NUEE, in a statement by its Acting General Secretary, Igwebike Dominic, put workers in the power sector on high alert, warning of a possible nationwide blackout if Ajaero is not released.

The statement read “We are perplexed with the information that Joe Ajaero who is the General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was whisked away by agents of the Nigerian state while on his way to the United Kingdom on the invitation of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, of Britain.

“Joe Ajaero has been detained and treated like a fugitive that he is not without access to his lawyers, families and colleagues. This brazen act of intimidation and harassment is a violation of his fundamental rights and freedom as a Nigerian citizen.

“We are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Joe Ajaero and we are saying to the government to desist from its unscrupulous harassment of labour leaders and Nigerian workers who speak out on the crushing hardship they are battling with caused by the irresponsible acts of the government that has turned deaf ears to the groaning of the people that they are governing.

“The last we know, Nigeria is still a democratic nation, so why is the government witch-hunting and trying to silence those that speak out to protest their deplorable state of living and economic hardship?

“Joe Ajaero represents the Nigerian workers and the common man on the street. This act of the government signifies trampling on masses and is tantamount to beating a child and preventing the child from crying. An injury to Joe Ajaero is an injury to all Nigerian workers and Electricity employees in particular.

“Nigeria is our collective country, our leaders should not make us live like slaves that cannot express themselves in our country. We demand unequivocal and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero without any harm meted to him. We are using this medium to put all our members on alert for further directives.”

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