Adams Oshiomhole, the Senator for Edo North and former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), disclosed a harrowing incident of assault at the hands of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives during his tenure as the labor leader between 1999 and 2007.
The revelation comes in the wake of the recent assault on the current NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State, leading to a nationwide indefinite strike that commenced on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
Speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today, Oshiomhole shared his experience, drawing parallels between his past encounter and the recent assault on Ajaero.
He recounted an incident when he was on his way to Delta State, and the then Director of SSS ordered his arrest, preventing him from traveling due to an ultimatum issued to the Federal Government led by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
"The ultimatum had to do with resisting the attempt to withdraw fuel subsidy because of our fears of the consequential increase in the cost of living," Oshiomhole explained during the interview.
Describing the assault, Oshiomhole revealed, "They dragged me on the tarmac, and I had cuts all over the place. They forcefully prevented me from flying and took me back to the DSS director general’s office — then Col. [Kayode] Are."
Despite the injuries sustained during the assault, Oshiomhole expressed his distrust in the government's medical facilities, stating, "I can't even trust a government that has inflicted this kind of wound on me to treat me. They might as well poison my blood."
The former labour leader detailed that he was subsequently taken into detention for at least 48 hours, during which the NLC struggled to locate him.
Upon his release, Oshiomhole, with determination, declared, "This blood would rather reinforce and whet my appetite for the struggle for justice."