BREAKING: DSS Re-Arrests Federal Workers Forum Leader Andrew Emelieze Days After His Release Amid Planned Ibadan Protest

The National Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), Andrew Emelieze, has been re-arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), days after he was released amid public backlash.

Sources confirmed to SaharaReporters on Friday that Emelieze was picked up earlier that morning and was secretly taken to court, where the DSS reportedly sought what was described as a “fake warrant” to justify his detention.

On Wednesday, SaharaReporters reported that the DSS had freed Emelieze in Ibadan, Oyo State amid growing public backlash.

https://saharareporters.com/2025/07/02/breaking-secret-police-dss-releases-nigerian-workers-leader-andrew-emelieze-detention 

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

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

https://saharareporters.com/2025/06/30/breaking-dss-arrests-nigerian-workers-forum-leader-andrew-emelieze-ahead-july-1-protest

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 appeared to be moving forward, the government’s failure to implement critical welfare policies for federal employees entirely left 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 instalment was expected to follow the week after.

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