Nigerian workers in the telecommunications and electricity sectors have issued a warning that they will shut down the National Grid and telecom services at midnight on Wednesday if Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, is arrested by the Nigeria Police Force.
This threat was detailed in separate notices issued on Tuesday by the General Secretaries of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Dominic Igwebike, and the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE), Mary Nwosu.
The warnings follow a police summons issued on Monday, calling Ajaero in for questioning on Tuesday regarding alleged links to terrorism financing and other accusations. In response, Ajaero declined the invitation, citing its late delivery, but committed to honoring it on Wednesday, August 29.
In light of these developments, NUEE, NUPTE, and other unions have vowed to strike if Ajaero is arrested. In a notice to its members, NUEE, which includes workers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, stated: “If the NLC President or any other Labour Leader is arrested, all workers are to down tools starting from 12 midnight on August 21, 2024.”
Similarly, NUPTE, representing workers in the postal and telecom sectors, announced it would follow NUEE’s lead. The NLC, after a meeting on Tuesday, also vowed to launch a nationwide strike if Ajaero is detained.
This situation poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s economy, as the electricity and telecom sectors are vital to the nation’s operations. It’s worth recalling that on June 3, a nationwide blackout occurred after workers shut down the National Grid due to an indefinite strike.
