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THE Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Tuesday, lamented that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is becoming indifferent, insensitive and unresponsive to the plights of Nigerians.
Adams in an open letter titled ‘President Bola Tinubu, time is going’, also said the present administration has disappointed Nigerians adding that the citizens can no longer bear the economic hardship.
He said: “We have no regret that we were created to inhabit this geographical space in the West African axis of the African continent.
“We are happy to be here because I don’t know any country in the world that God has blessed, in terms of natural and human resources, like Nigeria.
“Obviously, past leaders, since 1960, disappointed Nigerians with the way ‘Nigeria and Nigerians were badly led and resources selfishly managed’.
“When you came with the ‘Emilokan’ coinage in the build-up to the 2023 elections, many Nigerians were persuaded that as a democrat exposed to the modern way of governance, you will perform better than Muhammadu Buhari, a soldier who deepened the poverty levels of Nigerians and increased insecurity from 2015 to 2023.
“Today, events have proved that they were wrong. Mr President, to say the truth without minding whose ox is gored, you have disappointed many Nigerians who thought you were the messiah they were waiting for.
“The facts are there to speak for themselves. On May 29, 2023, when you became the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigerians, the price of a litre of fuel was less than N200.
“Today, it is more than N1000. As the Minister of Petroleum, I ask you, what type of reform is this? In May 2023, the Naira to a Dollar was less than N740. Today, it is more than N1,600.
“Now, your two right-hand men when you were Governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, Wale Edun (Finance Minister) and Yemi Cardoso (CBN Governor) are in charge of the economy.
“What exactly are the fiscal, economic and financial briefings they give you daily to convince you that they know what they are doing in those two offices?
“When Buhari left on May 29, 2023, many Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief that insecurity would soon become history.
“Pitiably today, from the North to the South, East to the West, the rate at which Nigerians are being abducted and some killed, even after ransom was paid, it was as if these blood-thirsty maniacs have just been unleashed on Nigerians from the hottest part of hell.
“As the Commander-in-Chief, the rising spate of insecurity across the country has put to question the kind of briefings you get daily, especially, from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, the Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, and other Security Chiefs on their modus operandi to send these killers to where they belong?
“In August, many Nigerians came out to express their frustration on the way you are governing them.
Today, some of those arrested have been charged with treason.
“In the comity of nations, who does that? Is that the way governments are overthrown, with placards?
“Human rights activists are being harassed by security agents daily and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have become soft targets of sycophants who speak sweet words to your ears for selfish reasons.
“Many Nigerians know the ‘radical’ role you played when you were Governor, and even after 2007 when you galvanised and mobilised them to challenge the status quo at the national level.
“Now that you are in government, protest has suddenly become a criminal offence. God is indeed great. The plain truth is that the recent fuel price increase by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, an agency which is under your office as the Petroleum Minister, is an attack on Nigerians.
“Obviously, your administration is becoming indifferent, insensitive and unresponsive to the plights of millions of Nigerians who can no longer meet their daily needs.
“This is a brutal assault on the sensibility of Nigerians. I think you and your party should be sensitive to the plights of Nigerians.
“Mr President, don’t you think the wicked and draconian increase in fuel price, especially, at this time that Nigerians have been pushed to the wall, is a huge recipe for crisis? Nigerians can no longer bear this economic hardship any longer.”
The Department of State Services (DSS) has released the passport of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Daily Trust can confirm.
Some of labour leaders, who confided in our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja, said the secret police did not find anything incriminating against Ajaero.
Daily Trust had reported that the DSS bowed to pressure from various quarters on Monday when it released the labour leader on bail a few minutes to the ultimatum given by the NLC.
Details shortly…
[Daily Trust]
President Bola Tinubu has approved the commencement of 2024 National Honours Award to Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have contributed to the development of the country.
Zaphaniah Jisalo, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, made this known at a meeting with management staff of the ministry on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Jisalo said that the Federal Government would also honour Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours.
The minister explained that the forms and processes leading to the award of national honours were free of charge, adding that people should desist from paying for national honuours.
“By this information, the public is to watch out for calls for nominations and present individuals who have distinguished themselves by uplifting the nation and its people.
“This is in accordance with the National Honours Award Act 2004. The Act took retrospective effect from 1963, “he said.
NAN
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president, Joe Ajaero, and the invasion of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) office by men of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Atiku said President Bola Tinubu’s level of oppressive control now imposed on Nigerians, civil society organizations and the media has surpassed the time of military dictators.
In a statement on Tuesday, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused President Tinubu of intimidating opposition voices.
He said, “The escalating assault on civil society and the media by the Bola Tinubu administration is profoundly disturbing. The level of oppressive control now imposed surpasses even the harshest days of military dictatorship.
“The recent arrest of Mr. Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, en route to an official event, epitomizes this regime’s relentless campaign to intimidate and subdue organized labour.
“Just days prior, security forces detained a journalist, only to later claim it was a grievous error. What if the outcome had been fatal?
“Now, Tinubu’s regime extends its repressive grasp to encroach upon SERAP Nigeria, an action that stands as a grave affront to our democratic values. This siege is anathema to the principles of freedom and justice.”
Atiku admonished the President to channel his security agencies towards terrorists and bandits perpetrating violence across the country and stop inflicting suffering on Nigerians.
“It is imperative that Tinubu and his security apparatus redirect their fervour and intimidation towards the actual perpetrators of violence — terrorists and bandits — who are inflicting immeasurable suffering upon the Nigerian people,” Atiku added.
The Federal High Court (FHC) in Lagos has embraced the digital world by inaugurating an online platform that enables the public to obtain affidavits directly from the court.
This initiative, spearheaded by FHC Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho, aligns the court with contemporary digital best practices on a global scale.
During a Friday visit to the Lagos division of the court, the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar, Godwin Long, facilitated a tour of the newly established ICT department, which Agwu Charles oversees.
Agwu provided an explanation of how the general public can utilize this new innovation.
“It is now a norm that the Affidavit for loss of items, age declaration, change of name, etc can now be done via portal.fhc.gov.ng and following the instructions.
“What you just need to do is to login to the site: portal.fhc.gov.ng,” Agwu explained.
DCR Longe further explained that, at the moment, the portal can only process Affidavits that are non-cases related.
“Affidavits filed to support a case are still done manually because of the peculiar disposition in such Affidavits.
He reiterated the need for people to be aware that henceforth, “they don’t necessarily have to be physically present to procure the type of Affidavits mentioned above,” he noted.
Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for employing security forces to harass and intimidate Nigerian citizens.
Naija News reports that Ezekwesili’s remarks came after the arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and the raid on the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) office in Abuja on Monday by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a post on her X account on Tuesday, Ezekwesili asserted that Nigerians would not tolerate any form of authoritarian rule again, and she outlined three actions President Tinubu should take to ease the growing tension in the country.
She questioned the motivations behind the administration’s approach, asking why Tinubu’s government would choose to create such tension for an already struggling population.
Ezekwesili said: “So as if this severest economic hardship unleashed on citizens by the @nigeriagov of @NGRPresident @officialABAT is not traumatizing enough, the country’s security apparatuses are now daily deployed to harass and intimidate Nigerians.
“I wanted to be certain of the news yesterday that the latest victims of draconian assault on rights are the NLC @NLCHeadquarters and its President @JoeAjaero94024 as @SERAPNigeria .
“So I ask, “What really is motivating this administration of @officialABAT to create this horrible tension in the country for an already badly distressed people?”
“Whatever is driving this repressive onslaught, here are 3 things the @NGRPresident has to do to stop heating up the country:
“The @OfficialDSSNG @PoliceNG must immediately comply with the constitution and laws of the land- release Ajaero, vacate @SERAPNigeria, return their documents, repair damaged property and compensate them for all losses inflicted.
“The @PoliceNG @OfficialDSSNG must release all the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters that are unconstitutionally detained or being prosecuted by the security establishment for no good reason than the intoxication and intolerance of @officialABAT and his crew that seized power through an election that failed all tests of credibility.
“The @NGRPresident and the @nassnigeria should immediately commence plans for a Citizens-led National Conversation and Constitutional process for Nigeria.
“If there is any wisdom left at all, this @NigeriaGov would do well to stop digging further into a hole. Nigerians acting collectively will never again accept any draconian rule.”
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has released Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), after detaining him for approximately 15 hours, Naija News reports.
![[PRESS RELEASE] Tinubu increasing VAT to 10% will be inferno that will consume Nigerians](/media/k2/items/cache/39782184df96dea65e5e506c403e355d_S.jpg)
The increase in VAT is set to become the blazing inferno that will consume the very essence of our people.
President Bola Tinubu, alongside his coterie of advisers, has resolved to raise the VAT rate from 7.5% to 10%, even as the NNPCL has announced a soaring PMS price increase at the pump. This move unveils a new era of regressive and punitive policies, and its impact is destined to deepen the domestic cost-of-living crisis and exacerbate Nigeria’s already fragile economic growth.
President Tinubu and his entourage seem to be resorting to their familiar tactic: heaping burdens upon the impoverished while steadfastly ignoring their extravagant excesses! Tinubu’s actions reflect a profound insensitivity to the plight of the less fortunate as he indulges in the opulent renovation of villas and the acquisition of new jets and vehicles for himself and his family.
One need not be an economist to grasp the ominous implications of President Tinubu’s ill-conceived policies for Nigeria’s future. The relentless rise in taxes and interest rates has proven excessively onerous, debilitating businesses of all sizes and leading to job losses while intensifying the suffering of the poor. The manufacturing sector, in particular, has endured relentless strife since Tinubu’s ascendancy, with its contribution to the GDP diminishing by over 20% since December 2023, as reported by the NBS.
In early August, Tinubu turned his attention to agriculture. As is customary with this administration, a new policy was clandestinely formulated and announced, permitting duty-free importation of agricultural commodities such as wheat, maize, and paddy, despite vehement opposition from farmer groups nationwide. This policy poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s food security ambitions, as local farmers, facing unfair competition from low-cost producers in Asia, Europe, and America, are compelled to reduce or entirely abandon their production efforts. It jeopardizes job creation, wealth generation, and the sector’s long-term prosperity, casting a shadow over Nigeria’s sustainability and development.
President Tinubu and his advisers would be wise to redirect their efforts towards crafting sustainable solutions to the systemic shocks afflicting the economy rather than compounding the crisis with measures destined to ignite further turmoil.
Signed:
Atiku Abubakar
Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (2023)
Abuja
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has slammed the federal government for pressing treason charges against peace #EndBadGovernance protesters.
Peter Obi said the federal government mismanaged the protest even after the citizens gave one month’s notice before the protest.
Speaking with News Central on Monday, on his opinion concerning the treason charge, the former governor of Anambra State said even when he was in office he never used police to arrest protesters.
He argued that it was wrong for the federal government to fail to sit and discuss with the peaceful hunger protesters but move ahead to arrest them with the police.
Obi said: “I’ve said everybody, they have right to protest. I said it before. I would discuss with every protester. They even warned government months before they did that. I would sit down and discuss with them. People protested when I was governor. They even called strike. They shut down schools for months, our hospitals. I was talking with them.
“I have never as a politician, as a governor ask any police to go and arrest anybody. It shouldn’t be. In a democracy, people have right to say no. I’ve said it every day. If I’m managing this facility and everybody loves me, I will resign. This is me.
“Wherever I am, I believe that I have enemies. My job is to convince them. If everybody loves me, that is a problem. There are people who hate me because I’m just Peter. They don’t even need to give me any reason. It is my job to convince them on why it should be. I convinced the teachers why we should return schools to missionaries and they see the result.
“You just have to. It’s a constant thing. Whenever you’re a leader, you’re a communicator. You listen, you talk to the people. The agitators, the protesters, how are they talking to them?”
Details have emerged as to why Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, was arrested on Monday by the operatives of the State Security Service, SSS.
Mr Ajaero was whisked away by the operatives of the secret police at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on his way to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.
The NLC’s head of information, Benson Upah, who confirmed the arrest to Channels Television, said Mr Ajaero was billed to attend the Trade Union Congress conference in London.
Mr Upah, however, said the union does not know why Mr Ajaero was arrested and where he had been taken to.
But security sources told TheCable that the NLC president was arrested following his failure to honour police invitation over a petition by Air Peace Airlines.
It was also gathered that the airliner had approached the secret police over alleged extortion by the labour union leader.
“The SSS invited Mr Ajaero for questioning but he failed to honour the invitation, that was why they arrested him,” a source disclosed.
Recall that the Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, in Abuja had invited Mr Ajaero over allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
He was released after a “short interview”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it is not responsible for the large billboard in Abuja promoting President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
The large billboard was spotted on Monday along the busy Area One axis of the Federal Capital Territory.
The billboard, which has the picture of the President and his wife, Oluremi read, “Grassroots support for Tinubu 2027, the 1019 initiative “
The display sign, which boldly hints at Tinubu’s potential re-election bid, sparked discussions, among passersby commuters among others plying the road.
However, the National Publicity Director of the ruling APC, Bala Ibrahim, said the party is not behind the billboard.
Speaking to Punch, Ibrahim said the party was unaware of the campaign billboard.
He, however, did not rule out the possibility of such a billboard being sponsored by groups or loyalists of the President.
He said, “At the party and personal level, I am not aware. If you have seen it, you may wish to check. It could have been done by a group or individuals.
“Usually, such banners and billboards carry the identity of the sponsors beneath. Look around to see if it carries the inscription of the party. Otherwise, it is not from us.”
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The Department of State Services has clarified why its officers visited the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project’s Abuja office on Monday.
The secret police, in a statement on its website on Tuesday, explained that contrary to reports that its officers raided SERAP’s office, the agents were detailed for routine investigation.
The DSS insisted that the officers’ actions had been misinterpreted as harassment and intimidation.
The statement read, “The Department of State Services has been inundated with multiple enquiries on its alleged unlawful invasion of SERAP offices in Abuja and Lagos.
“This narrative is inaccurate and misleading in its intent. For the records, a team of two unarmed Service operatives were lawfully detailed on a routine investigation to the SERAP office in Abuja, which has sadly been skewed and misinterpreted as unlawful, harassment, and intimidation of SERAP officials.
“The Service further wishes to state that such official enquiries and liaison are traditional and do not in any way amount to illegality or raid.
“While it assures of in-depth investigation of these malicious contents, it sues for citizens’ participation in national security management.
“The DSS, therefore, urges the public to disregard these false narratives as it restates its commitment to utmost professionalism in the discharge of its core mandate.”
The PUNCH reports that SERAP had urged President Bola Tinubu “to immediately direct Nigeria’s DSS to end the intimidation and harassment and attack against our organisation and the threat of arrest against our directors.”
In a statement by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “We condemn the invasion of our Abuja office today by Nigeria’s Department of State Services. The Tinubu administration must immediately direct the DSS to end the intimidation and harassment of SERAP and our staff members.”
SERAP’s statement added in part, “The invasion of SERAP’s office by the DSS and the harassment and intimidation of our staff members is a brutal assault on the entire human rights community in the country.
“The escalating crackdown on human rights, and harassment and intimidation of NGOs and human rights defenders that have shown astonishing courage in their human rights work hurt those most in need, undermine access of Nigerian victims of human rights violations and abuses to justice, and contribute to a culture of impunity of perpetrators.
“This government has an obligation to support and protect civil society groups and human rights defenders. We are seriously concerned about the growing restrictions on civic space and the brutal crackdown on the human rights of Nigerians.
“President Tinubu must urgently instruct appropriate authorities to promptly and thoroughly investigate the invasion of our offices and to bring to justice those involved.
“Nigerian authorities must allow SERAP to freely carry out our mandates as recognized under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.”
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has accused the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) of squandering about N10 billion on registering two companies for the Nigeria Postal Service, which went moribund barely a year after they took off.
The panel equally directed the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and the Investment and Security Tribunal to remit about N3. 457 billion and N6.327 million respectively into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation within 30 days and tender evidence of payment before it.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun), who stated these at the resumed investigative hearing of the panel on Monday, said no reasonable Nigerian would believe that N10.4 billion was spent to register the two companies only for them to fold up within one year.
The two companies, NIPOST Transport and Logistics Limited and NIPOST Property reported taking off in May 2023 and folding up through a Presidential directive in May 2024.
The BPE Head of Finance and Accounts, who represented the Director General of the Agency, Imam Rilwan, told the committee that while about N10 billion was given to the two companies for their takeoff, about N400 million was given to the Bureau to prepare the ground for their takeoff.
He said the registration of the two companies for NIPOST was approved in 2017, paving the way for the BPE to spend about N423 million on registration and other activities for their eventual take-off.
According to the BPE official, when the money was eventually released in 2023, the Bureau had to recover it. The official added that the N423 million given to the Bureau was used to rent office accommodation and other essential services.
He said that while the agency paid rent for the two companies from 2022, the companies took possession of the offices in May 2023 and folded up in May 2024. He noted that all property belonging to the companies had been officially handed over to NIPOST’s management.
But Salam said spending money from government coffers before the release of funds was a clear violation of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
He directed the BPE Director General, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, to personally appear before the committee on Wednesday, September 11, at noon with all relevant documents relating to the transaction.
Also, in his ruling on JAMB’s presentation, Salam said the Bureau’s refusal to reply to letters from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission informing it of its liabilities was an admission of its indebtedness to the government.
The head of Monitoring and Evaluation of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Bello Gulmare, informed the committee that the board was defaulting on its remittance, remitting only 25 per cent of its internally generated revenue instead of 50 per cent.
Gulmare said the commission wrote to JAMB in April, informing them of the examination body’s indebtedness, and sent a reminder in August. Still, the Board did not respond to any of the letters.
However, a Director of Finance and Accounts who represented JAMB said the Board was not receiving any capital and overhead funding from the government and was, therefore, required to remit 25 per cent of its IGR.
He said a government circular exempted them from remitting 50 per cent of their IGR to the government, a claim that the office of the Accountant General of the Federation disputed.
He said the Board has a letter from the Ministry of Finance granting a waiver from paying the 50 percent waiver.
While insisting that the FRC was trying to impose on them revenue they are not supposed to pay; he said they refused to respond to the letters from the commission because they have been doing the back and forth since 2017.
Ruling on the submission, the committee chairman and members frowned at JAMB’s refusal to respond to the letters, insisting that the government ran based on correspondence.
They said the board should pay the government coffers the amount standing against them within 30 days.
In another ruling, the committee asked the Investment and Security Tribunal to immediately recover and pay into government coffers taxes not deducted from five contractors and the accompanying fine, among other liabilities standing against it.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, alongside the Secretary General of the union, Emmanuel Ugboaja, will be questioned by the Nigeria Police Force on September 30, 2024.
According to Punch, the duo will be grilled over petitions written against the NLC.
Human rights lawyer and counsel for the NLC, Femi Falana, SAN, disclosed this while speaking to the aforementioned publication.
Recall that Falana has earlier stated that Ajaero and Ugboaja were not re-invited by the police as regards terrorism financing, as reported by some media outlets.
Falana had clarified that the duo were invited due to petitions written against them by Airpeace.
Airpeace had accused them of “public disruption.”
But the airline, on Monday, noted that it had settled amicably with the leadership of the NLC.
However, sharing further details on the arrest, Falana disclosed on Monday evening that the police would now quiz Ajaero and Ugboaja on September 30.
“Airpeace itself noted that it has withdrawn the petition. So, why does the police still want to quiz them on September 30? Yes, they have agreed to the September 30 extension,” he said.
Ajaero and Ugboaja, through their lawyer, Falana, had demanded an extended timeline for the invite extended to them by the police.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders have condemned the arrest of its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, threatening a showdown with the government.
While calling for his immediate and unconditional release, the labour movement has alerted its members for a possible confrontation.
LEADERSHIP reports that Ajaero was arrested by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while he was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom to attend an event by Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Britain.
After an emergency meeting of its National Administrative Council (NAC), the NLC described the arrest as illegal and unjustified.The council expressed grave concern over what it termed an “affront to the rights of workers” and a violation of Ajaero’s democratic freedoms, particularly his right to movement and expression.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting and signed by the labour centre’s Deputy President Adeyanju Adewale, the NLC demanded Ajaero’s release before midnight and warned that his detention was a deliberate attempt to stifle the labour movement’s voice.
The council linked the arrest to broader issues affecting workers and demanded the reversal of the current hike in petrol prices to N617 per litre,
The Congress has also put all its affiliates, state councils, and civil society allies on high alert, hinting at a potential nationwide strike if Ajaero is not freed.
The NLC emphasised that Ajaero’s arrest is an attack not only on the labour leadership but also on Nigerians’ broader rights to organise and protest freely.
In anticipation of further action, the NLC has called for an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) today to decide its next steps.
The Congress vowed to defend the rights of Nigerian workers. It urged the government to respect democratic principles, including implementing the recently signed National Minimum Wage law.
The communiqué reads in part: “The NLC demands the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero before midnight today.
“The Council reiterates that Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive or a criminal, and his detention is an act of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent and stifling the labour movement’s voice in Nigeria. NAC also demands the immediate reversal of the current hike in the price of petrol to N617 per litre.”
“The Congress places all its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and the Nigerian populace on red alert.
“The detention of Comrade Ajaero is an attack not just on the NLC leadership but on the rights of all workers and citizens to organise, protest, and express themselves freely.”
Similarly, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has also expressed concern over the arrest of the NLC president and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
In a statement issued shortly after Ajaero’s arrest, TUC President Festus Osifo described the arrest as a violation of the fundamental rights to freedom of association and expression, which are essential to any democratic society.
Comrade Osifo condemned the arrest as an unjust act that threatens not only the leadership of the Nigerian Labour movement but also undermines the rights of millions of working-class Nigerians who depend on unions to defend their interests.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana said that the arrest of his client, Joe Ajaero, is not connected with the earlier invitation by the Nigerian Police Force.
Falana said the secret police had failed to provide a reason for Ajaero’s arrest.
“The police rescheduled the invitation to Comrade Joe Ajaero last week. I have contacted the police authorities. The arrest is not related to the police invitation,” he said.
“Comrade Ajaero was on his way to London to attend the ongoing TUC conference when he was arrested at the airport this morning by the SSS. No reason has been provided for the arrest by the SSS.”
SERAP Asks Tinubu To End DSS Intimidation, Harassment Of Its Directors
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to end the Department of State Services’ (DSS) intimidation, harassment, and attacks.
SERAP also said there is a threat of arrest for its directors and employees.
SERAP’s deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare made this call in a press statement issued on Monday after some officers from the DSS allegedly invaded its Abuja office, requesting to see their directors without any prior notification.
He claimed that the raid on the organisation’s office occurred after they urged President Tinubu and his government to instruct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reverse the unauthorised increase in the pump price of petrol and to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged corruption and mismanagement within the NNPCL.
Oluwadare said the invasion of SERAP’s office by the DSS and the -*/ harassment and intimidation of its staff members is a brutal assault on the entire human rights community in the country.
He stressed that the escalating crackdown on human rights, and harassment and intimidation of NGOs and human rights defenders that have shown astonishing courage in their human rights work hurt those in need, undermine access for Nigerian victims of human rights violations and abuses to justice, and contribute to a culture of impunity for perpetrators.
The SERAP deputy director, while maintaining that the government must support and protect civil society groups and human rights defenders, expressed grave concern about the growing restrictions on civic space and the brutal crackdown on the human rights of Nigerians.
Oluwadare said, “President Tinubu must urgently instruct appropriate authorities to promptly and thoroughly investigate the invasion of our offices and bring to justice those involved.
“Nigerian authorities must allow SERAP to freely carry out our mandates as recognised under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.
“Nigerian authorities must end the harassment and intimidation attacks against SERAP and ensure the safety and security of our staff.”
Air Peace Petition Against Ajaero Long Withdrawn
Meanwhile, the management of Air Peace Airlines has distanced itself from the petition allegedly used by the DSS to arrest NLC President Joe Ajaero on Monday.
Air Peace Airlines, in a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP by its spokesman Omotade Makinwa, acknowledged that Air Peace submitted a pe tition against the union leader to the Nigeria Police in September 2023 but stated that the two parties had resolved the issue, and the petition had been withdrawn.
He expressed surprise at the sudden arrest of the NLC president after the police failed to take prompt action against him despite repeated follow-ups on the petition in 2023.
“Air Peace Airlines expresses deep concern over recent media reports regarding the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in connection with a petition filed by the airline in September 2023. This development has led to negative publicity and does not reflect the current relationship between Air Peace and the NLC.
“It is important to clarify the events leading up to the petition. On 3rd May 2023, the NLC disrupted Air Peace operations as part of a broader conflict with the Imo State government. Although Air Peace had no involvement in the dispute between the NLC and the Imo State government, our airline was unfortunately used to exert pressure on the government. This unlawful disruption of our services caused significant financial losses and impacted the travel plans of many Nigerians across multiple states.
“In response to this disruption, Air Peace’s legal team submitted a formal petition against the NLC to the Nigerian Police. Despite our repeated efforts to follow up on the petition, the Police failed to take prompt action.”
Omotade, in the statement, said the airline and the NLC had reached an amicable resolution.
However, over a year later, the Nigerian Police have chosen to act on the original petition, which has now led to the alleged arrest of the NLC president. Before this arrest, the airline and the NLC had already reached an amicable resolution. Air Peace had withdrawn its petition, allowing a positive working relationship between the two organisations to resume.