Victor Ezeja
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has reacted to the accusation by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the United Kingdom that Nigerian authorities abused the rights of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by arresting and detaining him Monday.
At the opening of the 2024 TUC conference in London, UK TUC on Tuesday, General Secretary of the union in UK, Paul Nowak, criticised the treatment meted out on Ajaero by the Nigerian authorities, stating that it was an “unlawful arrest” and “a gross violation of fundamental trade union freedoms.”
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Nowak, who said the UK TUC is in solidarity with the Nigerian trade union, expressed condemnation for the actions of the Nigerian government and demanded that they end their “persecution” of Joe Ajaero.
Ajaero’s arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Monday, on his way to attend the TUC annual conference in London, sparked a nationwide outrage. Following many calls for his freedom, DSS bowed to pressure and released him on Monday night shortly before an ultimatum issued by the NLC.
UK TUC Made False Claims About Rights Abuses in Nigeria
In a statement via his X handle on Tuesday, Onanuga said it described as “false” the accusation by the UK TUC over Ajaero’s arrest and detention.
He dismissed the allegations of rights abuses saying they are baseless.
Onanuga claimed that Ajaero was stopped from travelling abroad because “he snubbed the invitation of a law enforcement agency conducting an ongoing investigation.”
The presidential media aide said: “We, therefore, reject any notion and allusion to human rights violations in Nigeria. The accusations made by the Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom are, thus, unfounded and based on a misunderstanding of the situation.”
He further claimed that Ajaero’s action has “serious consequences, as no one is above the law in Nigeria.”
Onanuga said Nigeria is led by a pro-democracy activist president who will do everything to protect civil liberties and the rights of all citizens.
He stated that there is no adversarial relationship between the Labour Movement in Nigeria and the government.
While emphasising that government and labour unions may not always agree on policy direction, Onanuga said the government has consistently shown readiness to engage on any issue. He accused the labour unions of being partisan.
He further clarified that Ajaero’s invitation by the DSS has nothing to do with his role as the President of NLC and urged him to always honour invitations by law enforcement agencies to clear himself of any accusation.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
