Nigerian socialists and trade unionists face torrent of repression

A protest in Lagos, Nigeria, remembering those killed by the state during the August revolt

The Nigerian state has declared war on those who rose up last month demanding an end to poverty and to call for democracy.

The Nigerian Socialist Workers’ League (SWL) said, “Over the past few weeks, the police and other security agencies have swooped on the offices of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) trade union federation and the Iva Valley bookstore within its premises.

“They have invited NLC president Joe Ajaero for questioning over his alleged relationship with funding terrorism. They accused the bookshop organiser of sponsoring terrorism and even attacked his home, family members and employees.

“All these are in the wake of the killing of over 40 protesters during the End Bad Governance protests and the detention of over 2,000 others.”

The SWL says the repression is against people who organised “civil disobedience against the neoliberal subjugation of people’s collective resources”.

The protests were organised nationwide using the #EndBadGovernance hashtag on social media. Democratic demands were important, but the real driver was hunger.

In the capital Lagos, one of the placards read, “One day, the poor will have nothing else to eat but the rich oppressors.”

Under Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu, food prices have tripled in the country of over 220 million. Malnutrition hits tens of millions of people, particularly children.

The Nigerian police has now declared a “global manhunt” for British national Andrew Wynne. The cops accuse him of attempting to overthrow the government as part of the protests. The police ludicrously claimed he had built “a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos”.

According to the Police, “Since the commencement of investigations, Andrew Wynne has fled the country.” In fact, he left Nigeria before the protests began.

On Monday at the federal high court in Abuja, Michael Adaramoye—also known as Lenin—and nine others pleaded not guilty. They face charges of felony, treason and inciting mutiny brought against them by the inspector general of police.

Among the evidence raised against them was the alleged possession of Anne Alexander’s book Revolution is the Choice of the People. This is an account of the Middle East and north African revolutionary wave.

Socialist Worker in Britain stands alongside the SWL in demanding:

• Release of all detained protesters and activists arrested over the #EndBadGovernance nationwide mass action.
• Release of persons arrested during the #EndSARS protests and still being detained under spurious charges four years after.
• Hands off the labour movement, trade unionists and activists. 
• Drop the charges of terrorism against Andrew Wynne and the siege on Iva Valley Bookshop.
• Read more from the SWL at https://socialistworkersleague.org/
• Email message of support to the SWL at [email protected] and to the NLC and those targeted in the police raid at [email protected]