The UK arm of the Trade Union Congress has flayed President Bola Tinubu for arresting Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, who described the latest fuel hike under his administration as “traumatic and nightmarish.”  

The nation’s secret police, SSS, on Monday arrested Mr Ajaero at the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja where he intended to board a flight to the United Kingdom to attend the TUC 2024 Congress.

Mr Ajaero was later released following calls and mounting pressure from several human rights and civil rights groups.

The UK TUC described Mr Ajaero’s arrest as “unlawful” and urged Mr Tinubu to stop persecuting him.

“Joe was released last night, but it is clear that his ordeal is not yet over. His unlawful arrest is a gross violation of fundamental trade union freedoms, especially as he was on his way to speak to us about the vital right of trade unions to seek solidarity,” a statement from the UK TUC indicated on Tuesday.

“Nigeria’s trade unions still have our solidarity. We condemn the actions of the Nigerian government and demand that they cease their persecution of Joe Ajaero,” the statement added.

Mr Ajaero accused Mr Tinubu of tricking the NLC into signing an agreement to increase minimum wage to N70,000 with a promise to reverse fuel price to N145.

But while the new wage had yet to be implemented, Mr Tinubu reviewed fuel prices upward to N855, plunging many citizens and businesses into extreme poverty.

Mr Tinubu, according to Mr Ajaero, disregarded his commitment to the NLC by hiking the fuel price without any corresponding measure to cushion its impact on everyday Nigerians.

“We recall vividly when Mr President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians,” Mr Ajaero said on September 3.

He added, “But here we are, barely one month after and with the government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain. It is both traumatic and nightmarish.

“But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250% tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the minister of power who was at that meeting, Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy.”