Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, disclosed in a recent interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today that he was once subjected to assault and detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) during his tenure as the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) from 1999 to 2007. Oshiomhole made these revelations while commenting on the recent brutalization of the current NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State.
During the interview, the former governor of Edo State criticized the decision of organized labor to initiate a nationwide strike in response to the incident involving Joe Ajaero. Oshiomhole shared a personal account of his own encounter with the DSS, stating, “I had a similar experience…I was on my way to Delta State, and I went to the airport. The then director of SSS ordered that I should be arrested and stopped from traveling because we had given an ultimatum to the then Federal Government headed by President Olusegun Obasanjo.”
Recounting the incident, Oshiomhole described being dragged on the tarmac, sustaining cuts, and being forcibly prevented from flying. He was subsequently taken to the DSS director general’s office, then under Col. Kayode Are, and was offered medical treatment at their hospital. Oshiomhole declined, expressing distrust in a government that had inflicted such wounds on him.
Oshiomhole spent at least 48 hours in detention after being taken away but emphasized his unwavering commitment to continuing the struggle for justice. In light of Joe Ajaero’s recent assault, Oshiomhole questioned the appropriateness of a nationwide strike, asserting that Ajaero had mixed politics with organized labor issues. He stated, “Ajaero’s assault in Imo State is not a good reason for a nationwide strike,” emphasizing the need for a more nuanced approach to address the challenges faced by the labor force.
