The sustained attacks of the repressive apparatus of the state under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rule is unacceptable. Over the past few weeks, the police and other security agencies have swooped on the offices of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Iva Valley bookstore within its premises; invited the NLC president, Joe Ajaero for questioning over alleged relationship with funding terrorism, accused Drew Povey who runs the Iva Valley bookshop of sponsoring terrorism, in a bid to give a dog a bad name, to hang it, and even attacked his home, family members and employees.
All these are in the wake of the killing of over 40 protesters during the #EndBadGovernance protests and the detention of over two thousand others, for exercising their constitutional rights of freedom of expression in peacefully organising civil disobedience against the anti-poor neo-liberal subjugation of people’s collective resources and the imposition of untold hardships and pains on poor working people.
These tyrannical acts are reminiscent of the darkest days of military dictatorship under the rule of General Sani Abacha and must be stopped in their tracks. The Tinubu regime which continues to deepen its express greed and power by using public money to purchase a 15-year old presidential jet worth a whopping #240 billion is the key mobiliser for mass anger and not some ghosts of conspiracies. The same regime is turning public assets to private in conspicuous manipulative manners through the dubious acquisitions of NNPLC’s petrol stations and refinery by OANDO which belongs to the President’s brother, but now describing a book seller as a purveyor of terror..
The 1-10 August Days of Rage protest is just a sampler of what is to come. The popular fire of mass anger next time will be all-consuming. Meanwhile, the impunities of the Tinubu’s government must stop in terms of harassments of dissenting voices. So horrible is the attacks on the private house of Drew by the police with the gates and doors pulled down in such a commando style. We want to say that Tinubu is not the law, and the people will put him and his regime in their places as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, in such draconian and disgusting manners, the regime continues to attack the Labour movement and the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero. After his response on 28 August to the police invitation, he has been summoned again, this time with Emma Ugboaja the NLC General Secretary. These needless dictatorial antics of the state will not work.. Working-class people will not be deterred by this wave of tyranny. Rather, we must unite and ensure that we put a stop to this madness.
Thus we reiterate our demands:
- Release of all detained protesters and activists arrested over the #EndBadGovernance nationwide mass action.
- Release of persons arrested during the #EndSARS protests and still being detained under spurious charges four years after.
- Stop the harassment and blackmail of Joe Ajaero and Emma Ugboaja. Hands off the labour movement, trade unionists and activists.
- Drop the charges of terrorism against Drew Povey and the siege on Iva Valley Bookshop.
Kunle ‘Wizeman’ AJAYI
National Chairperson
Amara NWOSU
National Secretary
31st August 2024
