Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the current onslaught against the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).
The global humanitarian organisation’s Director, Isa Sanusi, in a statement on Tuesday, described the allegations of terrorism financing by the Nigerian authorities against Ajaero and its leaders as an attempt to intimidate the unionists.
The Police Force had, in a statement signed by ACP Adamu S. Muazu, Assistant Commissioner of Police on Monday, summoned Mr. Ajaero for questioning over alleged treason, terrorism financing, and other serious crimes. This is even as the Union has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike should the police detain it’s leader.
Sanusi, in the statement expressed Amnesty International’s deep concerns over the Nigerian authorities’ fresh attempts to further intimidate and harass Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) through threats of arrest of its President Joe Ajaero, and urged the authorities to end this pattern of brazen impunity and respect the right of the labour unions to agree or disagree with government and its policies.
“Under international human rights law and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right, freedom of association is guaranteed, and workers cannot be targeted for participating in trade union activities. The Nigerian authorities have an obligation not only to respect the rights of workers but also to protect these rights from abuse”, he said.
He said that Amnesty International had in the last one year, observed increasing attempts by the Nigerian government to silence the umbrella labour union, through trying by hook and crook to use state institutions to discredit them, describing it as “a new low in this government’s human rights records”.
“In Nov. last year, the President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Mr. Joe Ajaero was beaten and blindfolded by the police in connivance with thugs sponsored by Imo state government in Owerri. No one was held to account for the assault. Recently, Nigeria Police raided the headquarters of NLC and carted away documents and books. After the raid, the union labour leaders had to go into hiding for safety reasons. In February, the leadership of NLC cried out over threats and intimidation they faced over a legitimate strike action.
“The Nigerian government is clearly and unlawfully interfering with the functioning of an independent workers union, by targeting its leaders with baseless accusations that are gradually crippling the activities of the union. The organization urges the Nigerian authorities to immediately end this bizarre crackdown on leaders of the nation’s labour union. The allegations against NLC and its leadership are just punitive measures aimed solely at deterring and punishing them for standing up for workers’ rights”, Sanusi stated.
