The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has strongly criticized the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu for its ongoing attacks on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and its President, Joe Ajaero.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, CDWR condemned the recent invasion of the NLC headquarters by the Nigeria Police Force and the unfounded criminal charges against Ajaero, including criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.
The group also recalled the November 2023 attack on Ajaero in Imo State by state-sponsored thugs and security agents, which led to his hospitalization. CDWR demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Nigerians detained for participating in the recent 10-day nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest. They highlighted the continued detention without trial of Michael Adaramoye Lenin and Mosiu Sodiq by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) since August 5.
CDWR accused National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu of using the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), NIA, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to intimidate and arrest protest organizers and supporters. They characterized the current regime as a civilian dictatorship, drawing parallels to the military era’s suppression of dissent.
The group criticized the Tinubu administration for enlisting the judiciary, gangs, and thugs to suppress democratic and constitutional rights, and for freezing bank accounts of NGOs and pro-people organizations. CDWR warned that the leadership of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and other pro-people groups must organize resistance against increasing tyranny.
CDWR urged the NLC and TUC to cease their collaboration with the government and instead mobilize against anti-people policies such as fuel price hikes, deregulation, privatization, and electricity tariff increases. They called for a conference of workers, socialists, activists, and community leaders to strategize on resisting the dictatorship and proposed forming a working people’s party to challenge existing capitalist parties.
The CDWR demanded an end to the harassment and attacks on trade union leadership, including Joe Ajaero, and called for the release of all detained protesters involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests.