The Head of Public Relations, NLC, Benson Upah, made this known in an interview with our correspondent on Monday.

According to Upah, agents of the Nigerian State seized Ajaero without a legal warrant or formal instrument, and his whereabouts and health status are currently unknown.

The NLC has condemned the detention as a “brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation” and demanded Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release.

The Congress has also called on the international community, human rights organizations, and democracy advocates to take note of the rising wave of authoritarianism in Nigeria.”

Ajaero was set to address the Trade Union Congress in the UK on behalf of Nigerian workers, discussing critical issues like workers’ rights, social justice, and economic fairness.

Upah said, “The NLC has put its affiliates, state councils, and civil society allies on high alert and vowed to protect workers’ rights and not be cowed by oppressive tactics.

Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.

The NLC president was billed to attend the Trade Union Congress conference in London, which begins today.

Confirming the development in a post via its official X handle, the NLC said Ajaero’s arrest is an assault on Nigerian workers.

It reads, “The assault on Nigerian workers continues. President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, was arrested and abducted by men of the DSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, this morning on his way to attend an official engagement of TUC United Kingdom, and he is now detained at the office of the NSA.

“This intimidation and assault must stop!!!”

Recall that the Nigeria Police Force had invited and interrogated Ajaero over allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.

His invitation came in the wake of a night raid by the police on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.

The police are alleging a link between the labour leader and a Briton, Andrew Wynne, who has been accused of financing the recent #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger protest in the country to allegedly overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu.

Following Ajaero’s first appearance on August 29, the police, in another letter signed by the Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ibitoye Alajide, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, asked him to appear again on Thursday, September 5, alongside with the NLC General Secretary “to answer questions over alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property.”

The letter read: “In furtherance of investigations into the alleged case of criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause breach of public peace and malicious damage to properties in which your name featured, you are requested to come along with Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, FID, through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 112, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Thursday, 5th September 2024 at 11 am.”

President Bola Tinubu gave this indication in his speech during this year’s International Workers’ Day celebration in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Also, the  President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga faulted workers’ insistence on the  N615,000 minimum wage. He said the government and labour unions had not agreed on the amount for the minimum wage.

But the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, defended workers’ demand, insisting that the organised labour would not accept any amount that would impoverish its members.

The President had in January set up a tripartite committee consisting of the government, labour and private sector representatives to review the N30,000 minimum wage introduced by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Last month, the two central labour bodies in the country, the NLC and the Trade Unions Congress, submitted a proposal of N615,000 minimum wage to the committee.

The government failed to announce the new minimum wage at the May Day celebration on Wednesday as it had not accepted labour’s demand.

Top officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the issue, said while the organised labour was insisting on N615,000 minimum wage,  the government and the private sector were proposing between N60,000 and N70,000, resulting in a stalemate in negotiations.

However, the NLC president, Ajaero, during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, said the proposed N615,000 minimum wage was arrived at after an analysis of the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.

He said the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on April 18.

He described as mischievous the pay rise of between 25 and 35 per cent for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures announced by the Federal Government on Tuesday.

He added, “We should be in the regime of a new minimum wage as of today. Discussions were supposed to have been concluded.

“The Federal Government through the National Assembly legislated on it. But we saw that the discussion entered voice mail because the Federal Government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

“I think the announcement now appears mischievous because there is no wage increase that the government is announcing. For them to announce it now, it is an issue that we are worried about at the NLC and even at the TUC.”

Ajaero further said organised labour had agreed on N615,000 as the living wage for civil servants.

He stated, “Living wage is such that will, at least, keep you alive. It is not a wage that will make you poorer and poorer. It is not a wage that will make you borrow to go to work. It is not a wage that will lead you to be in the hospital every day because of malnutrition. For that living wage, we have tried to look at N615,000.

“Let me give you a breakdown of how we arrived at that figure. We have housing and accommodation of N40,000. We asked for electricity of N20,000 — of course, that was before the current tariff increase. Nobody can spend this amount currently. We have a utility that is about N10,000. We looked at kerosene and gas, that is about N25,000 to N35,000.

“We looked at food for a family of six, that is about N9,000 in a day. For 30 days, that is about N270,000. Look at medical, N50,000 provided there will be no surgery or whatever.

“For clothing, we looked at N20,000. For education, N50,000. I don’t know about those who tried to put their children in private schools, they will not be able to cope with this amount. We also have sanitation of N10,000.

“I think where we have another bulk of the money is transportation. This is because the workers stay on the fringes and because of the cost of petrol, which amounted to N110,000.

“That brought the whole living wage to N615,000 and I want anyone to subject this to further investigation and find out whether there will be any savings when you pay somebody on this rate,’’ the NLC president explained.

But  notwithstanding the stalemate in negotiations for a new minimum wage, Tinubu said his administration was poised to give workers better living and working conditions buoyed by  “a fair living wage.”

In his address to workers at Eagle Square, Abuja,  President Tinubu revealed that despite its efforts, the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, established on January 30, 2024, could not reach a consensus at its last meeting with organised labour which was held on Monday.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, explained, “You would recall that on January 30, 2024, the Federal Government convened a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. The committee’s mandate was to provide counsel and suggest a national minimum wage that aligns with our current economic conditions.

“Since then, the committee, in collaboration with labour leaders, has been diligently working towards proposing a new National Minimum Wage.

“Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts, the committee was unable to reach a consensus at its last meeting.”

However, he promised to resolve the impasse to ensure the announcement of a living wage soon.

This shall be resolved soon and I assure you that your days of worrying are over. Indeed, this government is open to the committee’s suggestion of not just a minimum wage but a living wage,” he stated.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity earlier, Tinubu affirmed that his administration remained committed to improving the welfare of all workers through various relief programmes including the wage award and the imminent minimum wage review.

“President Tinubu strongly believes that the custodians of the nation’s machinery deserve a fair wage and enhanced welfare and that a labourer is deserving of not just any reward but fair and commensurate wages.

“The President assures Nigerian workers of his dedication to not only improving their welfare but also enhancing their working conditions and providing the necessary tools for them to succeed,” the statement read.

Tinubu saluted Nigerian workers for their “fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.”

He commended workers across all spheres, from the clerical officer who ensures the proper documentation and distribution of correspondence, the security officer who remains ever dutiful through all seasons, and the teacher who secures the future of our nation by imparting knowledge to the next generation; the doctor who works relentlessly to save precious lives; and all Nigerian workers who keep the candle aflame.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in an interview on Arise television on Monday, said the organised Labour might ask for N1m during the minimum wage negotiations with the Federal Government if the value of the naira continued to plummet.

Reacting to the proposal, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, said the Federal Government would make a reasonable decision in line with national interest and after due consideration of available resources and other factors.

In the past months, the costs of goods and services had skyrocketed following the removal of the fuel subsidy while the value of the naira had continued to fall due to the forex crisis.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress had earlier pegged their minimum wage demand at N200, 000 but the NLC president in his Monday interview argued that the food inflation and high cost of living had made their previous demand unrealistic.

When asked if the unions’ demand for a living wage could be as high as N1m, Ajaero said, “This N1 million may be relevant if the value of the naira continues to depreciate; if the inflation continues. The demand of Labour is equally dependent on what is happening in society.

“You will remember that by the time we were contemplating N200,000, the exchange rate was about N900. As we talk today, the exchange rate is about N1,400 or even more.

“Those are the issues that determine the demand and it is equally affecting the cost of living and we have always said that our demand will be based on the cost of living index.’’

He added, “You’ll agree with me that a bag of rice is about N60,000 to N70,000. A bag of locally produced corn is about N56,000 or more.’’

He lamented prices of foodstuffs  were getting out of reach, adding that  the organised Labour  would not accept  get a minimum wage that would not be enough for transportation even for one week

Speaking further, the labour leader complained about the failure of the Federal Government to fulfil the agreement signed with the organised Labour last October, noting that it had not faithfully implemented the N35,000 wage award which was to be paid to federal workers for six months.

He stated, “Only one month of the N35,000 naira was paid to civil servants. Also, there is no evidence of payment of any N25,000 paid as palliative to workers. That’s what led to what’s happening in the humanitarian ministry.

“No farmer has come to say that he received fertilizers from the government. I don’t know whether the fertilizers are for sale or cultivation.’’

Speaking on the delay in constituting the minimum wage committee, Ajaero recalled that the old minimum wage will expire by April, noting that the government ought to have set up the negotiation committee six months earlier.

He expressed disappointment that the committee has not commenced sitting.

Responding to the labour’s suggestion, the information minister, Idris, said he would prefer to wait for the final decision of the 37-man minimum wage negotiation committee, which also included the representatives of Organised Labour.

Speaking with one of our correspondents on the phone, Idris said, “It is a proposal but the FG will not pre-empt the work of the 37-man committee that includes labour itself. The FG will do what is right in the interest of the nation as a whole, taking into account our resources and other factors.”

Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, dismissed as unrealistic the N1m minimum wage suggested by the NLC president.

Olatunbosun, who said that “just as labour has the right to make any demand, the government has the right to negotiate,” advised the unions to set a realistic goal.

“I will advise them to be more cautious and realistic, even though it is their right, they still need to be realistic in their demands,” he said.

The Benue State Commissioner of Finance and Budget Planning, Michael Oglegba, acknowledged the pains workers were going through at this period, but stressed that ‘labour leaders must understand there is a limit to what the economy can handle.’

He further said, “The Federal Government negotiates minimum wage for its workforce and the states are allowed to negotiate with their workers anything over and above the minimum wage and this is determined by economic forces.

“We are very much concerned about what workers are going through; the inflation is at an abnormal rate. So, whatever is arrived at by the Federal Government, the states have to negotiate. The point is that whatever the labour may throw is an offer.’’

In a separate interview, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Matthew Abo described Ajaero’s offer as laughable. Abo said, “How can that be possible? N1m minimum wage?’’

The spokesman for the Kebbi State governor, Ahmed Idris, assured the labour leaders of the state’s readiness to engage in fruitful negotiations to determine an acceptable new minimum wage.

“Yes, we all know the N1m wage demand may be difficult but with the current situation, both the labour and the government will have to negotiate based on reality.

“We will engage with them and by God’s grace arrive at a reasonable level where all parties including the government and workers will be happy at the end,” he assured.

The Special Adviser on Media to Ogun State governor, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said the state government was waiting for the report of the minimum wage negotiation committee and would not speak on Ajaero’s comments.

However, the Chairman of the Kwara Council of the NLC, Muritala Olayinka, observed that the N1m wage proposal cannot be paid by the state governments.

Speaking in Ilorin, Olayinka said that none of the 36 states of the federation can sustain the N1m minimum wage for the workers.

He said, “With the current economy in Nigeria where the government is running zero allocation whereby government borrows to pay workers salaries, no states or the Federal Government can sustain the payment of N1m minimum wage for workers.

“What the labour unions can fight for is how the economy can be improved, how the naira can appreciate over the dollar and other currencies.’’

“The labour should put its demand for the minimum wage at N600,000. If the government can fix electricity, improve agricultural production and infrastructure and reduce the costs of transportation, then the minimum wage should be agreed on the rate that the government can pay and sustain.”

Ajaero emphasized that economic conditions necessitate a wage adjustment, particularly considering the depreciation of the naira against the dollar.

He expressed that the previously proposed N200,000 minimum wage is no longer viable due to escalating food prices and inflationary pressures.

Ajaero revealed that organized labor is scheduled to meet with the Federal Government to address concerns raised by the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) regarding a potential strike.

Earlier, the protesters led by the leaders of the Organised Labour, Joe Ajaero of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress asked security operatives stationed at the legislative building to open the gates to allow the angry workers to express their displeasure.

Following the failure of the security officials to adhere, angry protesters pulled down the gates and thronged into the assembly complex to vent their anger