Joe Ajaero Not Above the Law – Presidency
By Trek Africa Newspaper
The Presidency has affirmed that there were no human rights violations involved in the recent arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Trek Africa Newspaper reports that this statement was made in response to allegations of human rights abuses leveled against President Bola Tinubu’s administration by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) during its conference in the United Kingdom.
In a statement on Tuesday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, refuted the accusations, stating that the Nigerian government had been “unjustly accused of rights abuses” after Ajaero was prevented from traveling abroad for failing to respond to an invitation from law enforcement regarding an ongoing investigation.
The Presidency argued that Ajaero had acted as though he were above the law, emphasizing that no individual in Nigeria is exempt from legal processes.
Onanuga said, “Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), no person is above the summons of law enforcement agencies or lawful investigations. Like in the United Kingdom and other civilized nations, Nigeria is a country governed by the rule of law.”
He further questioned whether any trade union leader in the UK or other parts of the world would ignore an invitation from agencies like MI5, Scotland Yard, or the FBI, as Ajaero did with Nigerian law enforcement.
“We reject any claims of human rights violations in Nigeria. The accusations made by the Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom are unfounded and based on a misrepresentation of the facts,” Onanuga added.
He also said that President Tinubu, a pro-democracy advocate, is committed to protecting the civil liberties and rights of all citizens. He pointed out that while the government and labor unions may have differing views on policy, there is no adversarial relationship between them, and the government has consistently shown a willingness to engage with labor on various issues, despite any political differences.
Onanuga clarified that Ajaero’s invitation from the DSS was unrelated to his role as NLC President, and that as a responsible citizen, Ajaero should cooperate with security agencies to resolve any matters arising from the investigation, rather than creating negative public sentiment against law enforcement.
