- DSS Releases Federal Workers Forum Leader, Emelieze From Detention.
- Emelieze was arrested over planned July 1 minimum wage protest.
- Labour groups continue to press Tinubu’s government over delayed wage talks.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Comrade Andrew Emelieze, the National Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), days after his arrest in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Naija News reports that Emelieze regained his freedom on Wednesday morning following intense public backlash and widespread condemnation from civil society groups, labour unions, and human rights advocates.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that sources disclosed to SaharaReporters that Emelieze was arrested over his role in the planned nationwide protest scheduled for July 1, which aimed to push for the swift implementation of a new national minimum wage and the settlement of outstanding allowances for federal workers.
During his detention, several activists described the arrest as tyrannical and an attempt to suppress free expression.
“This arrest is tyrannical. The DSS must release Andrew immediately! #RevolutionNow,” one source had said.
The July 1 protest, championed by labour-backed organisations, is expected to be a significant confrontation between the federal government and organised labour over the stalled minimum wage negotiations.
The Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), a prominent civil rights group, strongly condemned Emelieze’s detention, calling it “unlawful and arbitrary.” The group accused the federal government of using security forces to intimidate and silence voices demanding economic justice.
“Emelieze’s arrest was a calculated attempt to crush the constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly,” the group insisted.
His arrest came amid escalating tensions between the government and the country’s largest labour centres, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), over the prolonged delay in implementing a new minimum wage.
The labour unions have repeatedly issued ultimatums to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, demanding urgent action as workers grapple with soaring inflation and worsening economic hardship.
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