Nigerian workers in the telecommunications and electricity sectors have threatened to shut down the national grid and disrupt telecom services if the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, is arrested.
This warning was issued 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 comes after the Nigeria Police Force summoned Ajaero on Monday for questioning over alleged ties to terrorism financing and other related allegations.
Ajaero, in a response letter on Tuesday, declined the initial invitation, citing its late arrival, but promised to appear on Wednesday, August 29.
In reaction, the NUEE and NUPTE, along with other unions, declared that they would initiate a nationwide shutdown if Ajaero is detained.
The NUEE, which represents workers at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), notified its members to halt operations at midnight on August 21 if the NLC President or any other labour leader is arrested.
Similarly, NUPTE, which oversees postal and telecom workers, aligned with NUEE’s stance, ready to down tools in solidarity.
The NLC has also threatened to call for a nationwide strike, emphasizing that any arrest of its leader would be met with strong resistance from workers across the country.
A potential shutdown of electricity and telecommunications services would pose a severe threat to Nigeria’s economy, disrupting essential services that millions rely on daily.
The current tension echoes a similar incident on June 3 when the national grid was shut down following an indefinite strike, plunging Nigeria into a widespread blackout.