The President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has been released by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to one of the NLC leaders, “the Comrade President has just been released. He was released at about 11.10pm.”
Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.
The NLC president was billed to attend the Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference which began on Monday in London.
Confirming the development in a post via its official X handle, the NLC said Ajaero’s arrest is an assault on Nigerian workers.
It reads, “The assault on Nigerian workers continues. President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, was arrested and abducted by men of the DSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, this morning on his way to attend an official engagement of TUC United Kingdom, and he is now detained at the office of the NSA.
“This intimidation and assault must stop!!!”
The Nigeria Police Force had invited and interrogated Ajaero over allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
His invitation came in the wake of a night raid by the police on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.
The police are alleging a link between the labour leader and a Briton, Andrew Wynne, who has been accused of financing the recent #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger protest in the country to allegedly overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu.
Following Ajaero’s first appearance on August 29, the police, in another letter signed by the Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ibitoye Alajide, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, asked him to appear again on Thursday, September 5, alongside with the NLC General Secretary “to answer questions over alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property.”
The letter read: “In furtherance of investigations into the alleged case of criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause breach of public peace and malicious damage to properties in which your name featured, you are requested to come along with Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department, FID, through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 112, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Thursday, 5th September 2024 at 11 am.”
The Labour Movement has expressed concern over his whereabouts and state of health.
Many groups, CSOs, Activists and personalities had condemned his arrest and also called for his release.