Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the federal government for recent actions against civil society.
He condemned the arrest of Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the raid on the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project by the Department of State Services.
Ajaero was arrested early on Monday at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. On the same day, DSS operatives took over SERAP’s office.
Atiku expressed his concerns in a statement posted on his verified X account on Tuesday. He said, “The escalating assault on civil society and the media by the Bola Tinubu administration are profoundly disturbing. The level of oppressive control now imposed surpasses even the harshest days of military dictatorship.”
He continued, “The recent arrest of Mr. Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, en route to an official event, epitomizes this regime’s relentless campaign to intimidate and subdue organized labour.”
Atiku also recalled a recent incident where security forces detained a journalist, which was later admitted as a mistake. He questioned the potential consequences, saying, “What if the outcome had been fatal?”
He further criticized the government’s actions against SERAP, stating, “Now, Tinubu’s regime extends its repressive grasp to encroach upon @SERAPNigeria, an action that stands as a grave affront to our democratic values. This siege is anathema to the principles of freedom and justice.”
Atiku urged President Tinubu to redirect security efforts towards combating terrorism and banditry instead of targeting civil society. “It is imperative that Tinubu and his security apparatus redirect their fervour and intimidation towards the actual perpetrators of violence — terrorists and bandits — who are inflicting immeasurable suffering upon the Nigerian people,” Atiku added.
