In a significant development, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) officially confirmed the release of four prominent leaders of the Nigeria Union Road
Transport Workers (NURTW) by the Nigeria Police. The news was revealed by Mr. Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, during a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
According to Mr. Ajaero, the release of these NURTW officials occurred on Thursday night, marking the end of a prolonged period of detention that lasted for more than a month. The four individuals who have been set free are Tajudeen Baruwa, the National President of NURTW, Anthony Chukudi, the General Secretary, Olayi Odion, the National Trustee, and Abdulrasak Yemi, the Principal Assistant Secretary.
The detention of these high-ranking NURTW officials had sparked outrage and condemnation across the nation. The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC, in a meeting held on August 31, strongly denounced the actions taken by the Nigeria Police and vehemently called for the immediate release of the NURTW leadership.
This development comes as a direct result of the NLC’s demands during the two-day nationwide warning strike that was conducted on September 5th and 6th. The NLC had consistently pressed for the release of the NURTW leaders as part of their efforts to address critical issues impacting the labor force and civil society in Nigeria.
The release of these leaders is expected to ease tensions and contribute to the restoration of normalcy within the NURTW and the broader labor movement in Nigeria. It remains to be seen how this development will influence the ongoing labor negotiations and the evolving dynamics in the Nigerian political landscape.
