‘Don’t arrest Ajaero’ – HURIWA Blast police, demands immediate release of over 1,000 protesters

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a stern warning to the Nigeria Police Force against the planned arrest of the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero.

The organization condemned the allegations against Ajaero, describing them as politically motivated.

TrackNews Media recalls that allegations against Ajaero include criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.

HURIWA said this was a “blatant attempt by the government to suppress dissent and intimidate the labor movement, which has consistently spoken out against anti-people policies.”

In a statement signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko on Tuesday, HURIWA expressed deep concern over the erosion of democratic principles under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

He said the government “is swiftly turning Nigeria into a full-blown dictatorship, a police state, and a banana republic marked by lawlessness, impunity, corruption, and organized chaos.

“This pattern of repression is not only undemocratic but also threatens Nigeria’s survival as a sovereign nation founded on justice and equity.”

Recall that the Nigerian Police, in a letter dated August 19, 2024, summoned Comrade Ajaero for questioning over alleged involvement in the crimes, warning that failure to honour the invitation would result in a warrant for his arrest.

HURIWA said it “categorically rejected these charges, viewing them as a calculated effort to discredit the labor leader and undermine the labor movement’s legitimate opposition to the Tinubu administration’s oppressive policies.

“This harassment follows a police raid at the NLC National Secretariat in Abuja on July 7, 2024, an incident that sparked widespread condemnation and raised concerns about the government’s respect for labor rights and democratic freedoms.”

HURIWA also denounced the mass arrest and detention of over 1,000 peaceful protesters who participated in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests across Nigeria.

TrackNews Media reports that Amnesty International recently revealed that over 1,000 protesters have been remanded in prison custody nationwide, with 441 arraigned in Kano on what the rights group described as “trumped-up charges.”

According to HURIWA, “the growing pattern of repression under Tinubu’s watch is reminiscent of some of the darkest periods in Nigeria’s history when military dictatorships held sway.

“If this trajectory is not halted, Nigeria risks plunging into an abyss of chaos and anarchy, with dire consequences for the unity and stability of the nation.”

The rights association further condemned the selective application of justice by the Nigerian authorities, noting that “while peaceful protesters and government critics are being hounded and detained, corrupt politicians and officials who have plundered the nation’s wealth continue to enjoy freedom and impunity. ”

It argued that double standards in law enforcement underscored the systemic rot and corruption entrenched under the current administration.

HURIWA called on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organizations, and the international community to defend democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Nigeria.

The group urged the international community “to hold the Tinubu administration accountable for its actions and to impose sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations in the country.”