England and Wales Socialist Party members protest at Nigeria Embassy in the UK to press for release of Ajaero, Michael Lenin, other #EndBadGovernance protesters

Members of the Socialist Party of England and Wales on Tuesday held a solidarity demonstration at the Nigeria High Commission in London to demand the release from detention of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, National President of the Youth Rights Campaign, Adaramoye Michael Lenin, and other #EndBadGovernance protesters.

The protesters under the auspices of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) at the Nigeria High Commission in London held placards with messages including; “Support action to end fuel crisis and defend living standard,” and ‘Release Ajaero NLC President now.”

Speaking during the demonstration, one of the activists who is a member of the Socialist Party England and Wales, Deji, said “Socialists, working people and youth across the world are inspired by the #EndBadGovernance protest in Nigeria. We extend our solidarity to the working class and youth in Nigeria in their struggle against fuel price hike, anti-poor economic policies and attacks on democratic rights. We stand by them and urge them not to back down. We call on President Tinubu to halt the repression and release all those imprisoned now. Only a Socialist Nigeria can end the economic crisis facing the country.”

Deji promised that the Socialist Party in England and Wales would continue to raise the issues of the repression in Nigeria within the trade unions, students unions and socialist movement to build more for the struggle in Nigeria.

The Socialist Party of England and Wales is the UK sister organisation of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) in Nigeria. Both groups are affiliated to the Committee for a Workers International (CWI).

Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, Daniel Akande and many others were arrested over the #EndBadGovernance protest and arraigned with a trumped-up treason charge, an offence that carries the death penalty if found guilty.