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June 12, 2024
According to AUTOBATE, Sanyaolu’s arrest on Tuesday evening by the Nigerian security agents is believed to be connected to his involvement in organising the #WeAreHungry protests planned for Wednesday, June 12.
The Automobile Boatyards, Transport Equipment, and Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE), has condemned in strongest terms, the arrest of the National Coordinator of the Take It Back (TIB) movement, who is also AUTOBATE's Organising Secretary, Juwon Sanyaolu.
The association in a statement issued on Wednesday by its President General, Comrade Michael Ugwuadu and the General Secretary, Lai Brown, demanded the immediate release of Sanyaolu.
According to AUTOBATE, Sanyaolu’s arrest on Tuesday evening by the Nigerian security agents is believed to be connected to his involvement in organising the #WeAreHungry protests planned for Wednesday, June 12.
SaharaReporters had reported that a coalition of civil society organisations and the African Action Congress on Tuesday announced the arrest of Sanyaolu who is one of the coordinators of #WeAreHungry Protests slated for today June 12 as Nigeria celebrates its 25th Democracy Day.
According to the CSOs and the party in a statement, the activist, Comrade Sanyaolu Juwon was arrested in Lagos.
The association said, “We have observed with concern that, preceding Juwon Sanyaolu's detention, both the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force have released statements aimed at deterring workers and the youth from participating in the protests.
“We wish to declare unequivocally that the right to protest is a cornerstone of a functioning democracy.
“June 12, now observed as Democracy Day, represents the enduring struggle of Nigerian workers and the impoverished against repressive and military rule.
“The unwarranted apprehension of one of the organisers of the #WeAreHungry protests harkens back to such repressive times, undermining democratic principles and revealing the current government's disregard for workers' welfare and democratic values.
“Confronted with widespread hunger, insecurity, and the inaccessibility and unaffordable costs of education and healthcare—consequences of the government's anti-labor policies, including fee hikes, poor wages, and excessive taxation—and the unjust arrest of Juwon Sanyaolu, we assert that Nigeria's democracy exists in name only.
“True democracy does not concentrate wealth in the hands of a few while the majority suffer, nor does it compensate elected officials lavishly at the expense of workers' meager earnings.
“Therefore, we stand firmly with the #WeAreHungry protests and call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Juwon Sanyaolu.
“We also encourage workers, trade unions, and all pro-workers organizations to join us in demanding his freedom and advocating for a democracy that prioritises the needs of workers over the profits of few.”
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