Nigerian workers in the telecommunications and electricity sectors have threatened to shut down the national grid and telecom services at midnight on Wednesday if the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, is arrested by the Nigeria Police Force.
This warning was issued in separate notices on Tuesday by the General Secretaries of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE), Dominic Igwebike and Mary Nwosu, respectively.
The threat follows a letter from the police on Monday summoning Ajaero for questioning on Tuesday over alleged links to terrorism financing and other accusations.
In response, the NLC President declined the invitation, citing its late arrival, but agreed to honor it on Wednesday, August 29.
Reacting to this development, the NUEE, NUPTE, and other unions have pledged to halt operations if Ajaero is detained.
In a notice to its members, the NUEE, representing 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 from 12 midnight on August 21, 2024.”
Similarly, NUPTE, representing workers in Nigeria’s postal and telecom sectors, echoed NUEE’s stance.
On Tuesday, after a meeting, the NLC also vowed to initiate a nationwide strike if Ajaero is taken into custody.
The situation poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s economy, given the critical role of electricity and telecoms in the country.
It is worth noting that on June 3, the national grid was shut down, leading to a nationwide blackout after workers went on an indefinite strike.