The Department of State Services (DSS) has summoned the leadership of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) following a wave of protests over the non-payment of wage awards and poor welfare conditions under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Comrade Andrew Emelieze, National Coordinator of the FWF and former Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Oyo State, confirmed the development in a statement released on Tuesday.
He noted that the invitation by the secret police was in response to the group’s role in organising the recent #FederalWorkersProtest, including campaigns tagged #OccupyFederalSecretariat and #ShutDownAllFederalSecretariat.
In the statement obtained by SaharaReporters, Emelieze asserted the group’s determination to honour the invitation without fear or hesitation.
“We are not in any way intimidated, we have no regrets and if we have to do it again, we will not hesitate. We have no apologies and we remain committed to freeing our people from servitude. We shall proceed to honour the invitation with profound conviction that we have a just course,” he declared.
The activist also called on members of the FWF, the general public, and the media to stay vigilant in case of any developments.
“We are informing all members of the Federal Workers Forum, the public and the mass media to take note in case things come up the other way.”
Reiterating the group’s stance, Emelieze added:
“Once more, we have no regrets and we are not in any way moved. We shall honour the invitation and we will never be intimidated. All that we have said and done is in the open and it is in the public interest, justice and humanity. Our voices must be heard, we shall keep on keeping on and never surrender.”
He urged members to maintain their resolve and continue with the protests until their demands are met.
“We urge our members to remain resolute and continue with the protest until the workers are free from exploitation,” he said.
FWF had embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike over the federal government’s failure to pay five months’ worth of outstanding wage awards.
The strike began last Tuesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, with hundreds of federal workers staging a protest at the federal secretariat.
During the demonstration, both Emelieze and the group’s Secretary General, Comrade Itoro Obong, addressed journalists, recalling that the federal government had been issued a 21-day ultimatum which expired without any response.
“As earlier agreed, we the federal workers in Nigeria commence an indefinite protest nationwide today, 22nd April, 2025, to press home our demands for justice for federal government workers in Nigeria,” they declared.
