DSS Arrest NLC President, Joe Ajaero

The Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, has been taken into custody by operatives of the Department of State Services.

Ajaero was detained on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while traveling to the United Kingdom for a formal assignment, according to information obtained by PUNCH Online.

The president of the NLC was scheduled to attend today’s opening of the Trade Union Congress convention in London.

The NLC confirmed the news in a post shared on its official X Twitter, claiming that Ajaero’s detention is an attack on Nigerian laborers.

The post read, “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!!!”

Recall that Ajaero was invited and questioned by the Nigeria Police Force about accusations of financing terrorism, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.

Following a police raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja throughout the night, he received an invitation.

The authorities are claiming a connection between the Labour leader and Andrew Wynne, a British national who has been charged with funding the nation’s most recent #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger demonstrations, which are intended to topple President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a subsequent letter, the Nigerian Police asked him to reappear with the NLC General Secretary on Thursday, September 5, 2024, in order to “answer questions over alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property” after his appearance on August 29.

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.”