Nationwide blackout imminent as electricity workers demand release of NLC president

There is a possibility that Nigerians may soon be plunged into darkness as the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has asked its members nationwide to be on alert for a directive to go on strike.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by NUEE acting general Secretary Igwebike Dominic on Monday. The electricity workers have demanded the release of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.

The strike alert to its members across the country is in compliance with the directive by the NLC to its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and all patriotic Nigerians to be on the highest state of alert.

Mr Ajaero was earlier in the day arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to the United Kingdom to attend the Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference, which commenced on Monday.

Expressing their displeasure at Mr Ajaero’s arrest, the electricity workers said that leaders in the country should not make Nigerians live like slaves who cannot express themselves.

The NUEE statement said, “We are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Com. Joe Ajaero and we are calling on the government to desist from its unscrupulous harassment of labour leaders and Nigerian workers who speak out on the crushing hardship they are battling with, caused by the irresponsible acts of the government that has turned a deaf ear to the groaning of the people they are governing.”

The electricity workers criticised the Bola Tinubu administration over attempts to silence dissenting voices against the biting economic hardship caused by the president’s policies, adding that Mrs Ajaero represents Nigerian workers and the common man on the street.

They stated, “This act of the government signifies trampling on the masses and is tantamount to beating a child and preventing the child from crying.

“An injury to Ajaero is an injury to all Nigerian workers and electricity employees. Nigeria is our collective country; our leaders should not make us live like slaves who cannot express ourselves in our country.

“We demand the unequivocal and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero without any harm meted out to him. We are using this medium to put all our members on alert for further directives,” they demanded.