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By Bimbola Oyesola
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has reiterated that the recent arrest of the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, was a blow to all Nigerians.
Acting General Secretary, NUEE, Igwebike Dominic, in an interview, emphasized that Ajaero represented Nigerian workers and the common man.
He argued that the arrest and detention of Ajaero by “agents of the Nigerian state” signifies trampling on the masses and is tantamount to beating a child and preventing the child from crying.
“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?” he queried.
According to NUEE acting general secretary, “An injury to Ajaero is an injury to all Nigerian workers and electricity employees in particular.”
He maintained that Nigeria is “our collective country” hence leaders should not make Nigerians live like slaves that cannot express themselves in their country. He lamented that Ajaero was detained and treated like a fugitive without access to his lawyers, family and colleagues, describing such as an act of intimidation and a violation of his fundamental rights and freedom as a Nigerian citizen.
Dominic charged government to desist from unscrupulous harassment of labour leaders and Nigerian workers who speak out on the crushing hardship they are battling with and caused by “the irresponsible acts of the government that has turned deaf ears to the groaning of the people that they are governing.”
