NLC grieves, demands probe into Abiodun Aremu’s death

…Says death tragic loss for Nigerian workers, downtrodden

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and progressive civil society groups across the country have been plunged into mourning following the untimely death of Abiodun ‘Aremson’ Aremu, a steadfast champion of the working class.
Aremu, who was widely regarded as a fearless labour leader and ideological teacher, was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Sunday, 12th October 2025, in his neighbourhood in Ifo, Ogun State.
The 65-year-old renowned activist was reportedly knocked down by a hit-and-run vehicle while crossing the road to his residence in Ota, Ogun State, around 6 p.m. on Sunday.
In a statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, NLC demanded probe into his death and described his untimely death as a tragic loss not only for the organised labour movement but also for the broader Nigerian populace, particularly the downtrodden who benefited from his lifelong struggle for justice and equality.
The statement reads: “The NLC and the entire spectrum of progressive civil society in Nigeria are plunged into deep grief by the tragic and untimely death of our comrade, teacher, and steadfast General, Comrade Abiodun ‘Aremson’ Aremu. He was taken from us on the evening of Sunday, 12th October 2025, in a brutal hit-and-run accident in his neighbourhood in Ifo, Ogun State.
“Comrade Aremu was no ordinary man. He was a titan of the class struggle, an organic intellectual of the working people, and an unwavering internationalist whose life was a testament to unalloyed commitment to the cause of the oppressed. His entire political life was a seamless fusion of revolutionary theory and concrete praxis, dedicated to the emancipation of the working class and the construction of an egalitarian, socialist society.
“As a key architect of the Labour Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) and other vital platforms such as the Joint Action Front (JAF), Comrade Aremu played an indispensable role in forging unity between the organized working class and the broader popular masses. He understood that the chains of the Nigerian people could only be broken through a united front against the exploitative capitalist system. He was a true workers’ General—unyielding, uncompromising, and steadfast.
“Recognizing that the battle for the future is also a battle for the minds of the youth, he founded the Amilcar Cabral Institute of Ideological Studies (ACIS). This institute was his ideological gift to the movement, a critical tool for conscientizing a new generation of revolutionaries, equipping them with the principles of scientific socialism and the spirit of internationalist solidarity. His leadership extended to the Nigeria Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara and the Nigerian Movement of Solidarity with Cuba.
“The circumstances of his death, a so-called “hit-and-run,” bear the marks of a suspicious pattern, reminiscent of the untimely death of another valiant comrade, Patrick Naagbanton. The Nigeria Labour Congress demands an immediate, transparent, and thorough investigation by the Federal and State Governments into this heinous act. We cannot accept this as a mere accident. The Nigerian state must ensure that the perpetrator is apprehended and the full truth revealed. The working class deserves no less.
“As we mourn this colossal loss, we call on all comrades, allies, and Nigerians who yearn for a better world to converge on Ifo, Ogun State, on Thursday, 23rd October, to collectively give our beloved General a befitting, ideological burial.

“The greatest tribute we can pay to this fearless teacher is to immortalize him not just in tears, but in action. We must recommit to the ideals he lived and died for: the relentless struggle against exploitation, the ideological clarity of the left, and the building of a mass movement capable of acquiring power for the people. We also call on all to remember and support the family he has left behind, who shared him with the struggle.

“Comrade Abiodun Aremu has joined the pantheon of revolutionary ancestors. His body may have fallen, but his ideas and zeal remain invincible. Nigerian masses will miss him. Nigerian workers will remember him. NLC mourns his exit. Who will join us at the barricades? Let the cadre arise and bear aloft the flag of passionate struggle that he embodied!”

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