Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, was released late Monday night by the Nigeria’s secret police, Department of State Services (DSS) amid growing condemnation of his arrest. The workers union had billed an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council this morning, Tuesday, expected to endorse its threat for a nationwide strike.
The government’s release of Mr. Ajaero may now avert that. JolibaLive News! gathered that at some point, Ajaero was moved to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Ajaero was arrested Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on his way to London, England, to attend an international trade union meeting there.
His arrest came as the DSS also laid siege at the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) for allegedly demanding the government reverse the recent increase in petrol price. SERAP asked President Bola Tinubu to direct the DSS to leave its office.
Mr. Ajaero’s arrest came 11 days after he honored an invitation by the Police on August 29 to answer to allegations of terrorism financing among others. He was released the same day.
Legal adviser to NLC, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, Monday, said his client’s arrest was unconnected to the earlier police invitation, but said the secret police had failed to provide clear reason for the current situation.
“The police rescheduled the invitation to Comrade Joe Ajaero last week. I have contacted the police authorities. The arrest is not related to the police invitation”, he said.
It remains unclear why the security forces have been acting like a bull in a China shop lately. Whether its all an attempt to use these theatrics as a distraction from the economic hardships caused by the government’s policies, or its a grievance against the Union leader for his tough negotiation in extracting a 100% minimum wage increase from the reluctant administration, or if there is a legitimate national security concern, has yet to be determined.
However, NLC characterized the whole drama as government’s “intimidation aimed at silencing dissent and suppressing the labor movement’s voice in Nigeria.”
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