BREAKING: DSS Arrests Nigerian Workers Forum Leader, Andrew Emelieze Ahead Of July 1 Protest

According to sources, Emelieze's arrest is linked to the planned nationwide protest scheduled for July 1, which aims to demand payment of the minimum wage and other allowances. 

The National Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, has been arrested and detained by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) in Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to sources, Emelieze's arrest is linked to the planned nationwide protest scheduled for July 1, which aims to demand payment of the minimum wage and other allowances. 

One of the sources described the arrest as "tyrannical" and called for Emelieze's immediate release. 

"This arrest is tyrannical. The DSS must release Andrew immediately! #RevolutionNow," the source stated, expressing outrage over the detention. 

"Andrew Uche Emelieze, the National Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has been arrested and detained by the DSS. He was detained this evening, and has not been released by the DSS," said one of the sources. 

"This is in connection with the planned July 1st Protest over minimum wage and other allowances."

Meanwhile, the sources vowed that the protest would proceed as planned despite Emelieze's arrest, with workers demanding urgent attention to their welfare concerns.

SaharaReporters reported on Sunday that the Federal Workers Forum announced that its planned nationwide protest scheduled for July 1, remains sacrosanct, as federal workers continue to demand urgent attention to lingering issues affecting their welfare and remuneration.

In updates released after an online general meeting held on Saturday, June 29, from 5 pm to 7 pm, the Forum’s National Secretary stated that while certain developments around the long-delayed wage awards appear to be moving forward, the government’s failure to fully implement critical welfare policies for federal employees leaves no option but mass action. 

The FWF disclosed that its National Coordinator was able to establish contact with the Director of Finance, who confirmed that the next tranche of the wage award —delayed since May — would be disbursed following the payment of June salaries, likely in the coming week.

The skipped installment is expected to follow the week after.

However, the Forum emphasised that these assurances are not enough to forestall the planned protest, especially in light of broader unresolved demands.

“The demands by FWF still stands. July 1st Protest is sacrosanct,” a statement from the FWF national secretary said.

“Demanding full implementation of consequential adjustment sacrosanct.”

In a communique expected to be released soon, the FWF will reiterate its demands, which include: Full implementation, non-taxation, and consequential adjustment of the new national minimum wage; 30% of consolidated salary as Cost of Living Allowance (COLA); and the payment of all promotion arrears owed federal workers across MDAs from 2021 to date.

Others include full payment of peculiar allowances and salary reviews (25–35%) owed to various sectors, including health and FTI; ending the persistent delays in salary payments to staff of tertiary institutions, and the settlement of all outstanding wage awards promised by the federal government.

“Federal workers deserve a living wage as promised, not a slave wage,” the statement read.

The FWF had said it remained committed to non-violent democratic engagement and called on all federal workers to mobilise ahead of the protest, warning that continued delays, broken promises, and policy inconsistencies would no longer be tolerated.