BREAKING: DSS Bows To Pressure, Frees Workers’ Rights Activist Emelieze

The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Comrade Andrew Emelieze, the National Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), several days after his arrest in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

His release on Wednesday morning followed growing public outcry and condemnation from civil society organizations, labour activists, and human rights advocates.

According to SaharaReporters, sources revealed that Emelieze was detained due to his involvement in the planned nationwide protest set for July 1, which aims to press for the implementation of a new national minimum wage and the payment of pending allowances.

“This arrest is tyrannical. The DSS must release Andrew immediately! #RevolutionNow,” one source had declared during his detention, criticizing the move as a blatant attempt to silence public dissent.

The proposed protest, endorsed by several labour-affiliated groups, is anticipated to escalate tensions between the federal government and organized labour, as they remain at odds over unresolved wage matters.

The Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), a notable civil rights group, strongly condemned Emelieze’s detention, calling it “unlawful and arbitrary.” In a statement, the group accused the Nigerian government of using security forces to suppress the voices of citizens advocating for their rights.

“Emelieze’s arrest was a calculated move to crush constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly,” the statement said.

His arrest came at a time of intensifying friction between the federal government and the country’s two leading labour unions—the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC)—over delays in adopting a new minimum wage.

Both unions have issued strong ultimatums to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, demanding immediate steps to adjust wages in response to worsening inflation and economic pressures.

The issue of minimum wage continues to spark fierce debate, with labour accusing the government of insincerity despite prolonged negotiations.