fact that a Federal High Court judgement in an earlier dispute had declared the organisation lacking legal power to call a general strike over government policies. Following the announcement of the strike plans, the NLC claimed President Adams Oshiomhole was arrested October 9, 2004 at a protest at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport. According to the organisation, Oshiomhole was "abducted by a team of operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) numbering over fifteen, who overpowered him, wrestled him to the ground and bundled him into a standby Peugeot 504 station wagon, which bore no licence plates." The State Security Services called the claim "sensational and inaccurate reporting", saying that the NLC president had a "misunderstanding" with field operatives, but that the matter was soon resolved. A presidential spokesperson claimed that Oshiomhole was only invited for a "chat" at the airport, no arrest having taken place. In 2005, the law was changed to permit other trade union federation to receive government recognition, and also to permit senior staff unions to join the NLC. In 2016, about 25 affiliates left to form the United Labour Congress, but they rejoined the NLC in 2020. By the end of the year, it had 43 affiliates, which as of 2016 represented more than 4,000,000 members. One of the strongest protest of the NLC can be traced to January 2012 during the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. The president and his economic team had argued that fuel subsidy payments was making the country lose billions of naira and it will save around "£4.2bn annually to invest in underperforming refineries that have forced Nigeria to import its own oil once it has been refined". The president said his government was no more interested in the payment of fuel subsidy to petroleum markerters. This will move fuel prices which was sold for N65 a litre with subsidy inclusive to around N141 which implies more than a hundred per cent increase. The campaign for fuel subsidy removal was supported by the ministers in his cabinet and mostly chaired by the then finance minister/coordinating minister for economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala. The government announced that fuel subsidy was going to be removed by January 2012 and this announcement was not welcomed by the Nigeria Labour Congress. Abdulwahed Omar, the then NLC president challenged the government that there will be wide spread mass protest in Nigeria if it continued with its plans to