- The union criticized the actions of security agents
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has condemned the arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero by the Department of State Security Service (DSS).
In a statement on Monday, signed by MWUN’s Head of Media, John Ikemefuna, the union declared its support for the NLC’s efforts to secure Ajaero’s immediate release.
“Under the leadership of Adewale Adeyanju, MWUN strongly condemns the abduction of NLC President Joe Ajaero by security personnel at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while he was on his way to attend a workers’ congress in the UK,” the statement read.
Ajaero had been invited to address a global workers’ assembly on behalf of Nigerian workers at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Britain. According to MWUN, Ajaero is not a fugitive and his arrest without a warrant is unacceptable.
The union criticized the actions of security agents, describing the detention as an infringement on Ajaero’s fundamental rights. “Ajaero is a law-abiding Nigerian citizen, and his arrest appears to be a deliberate attempt to humiliate and intimidate him,” the union stated.
MWUN called for Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release, warning that failure to do so would prompt the union to align with any directives from the NLC in response to the incident.
Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Abuja airport, en route to the United Kingdom for an official engagement.