DSS Succumbs To NLC Threat, Releases Ajaero Before Midnight Deadline
DSS Succumbs To NLC Threat, Releases Ajaero Just Before Midnight Deadline
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, was released on bail around 11.25pm by the Department of State Security (DSS) a few minutes to the midnight deadline issued by the NLC and its affiliates.
IMAGE NEWS reports that Mr Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to the United Kingdom for an official assignment in that country.
He was billed to attend the British Trade Union Congress’ (TUC) conference in London, which started yesterday.
A national officer of the NLC, who confirmed his release to Daily Trust, explained that the secret police said the labour leader was released on bail.
Activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, also confirmed his release via a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday night.
Also, human rights activist and one of the lawyers of the NLC, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the release of the labour leader.
He said: “Yes, he has been released.”
At least three other sources in the security circle confirmed the development to the Daily Trust when contacted around 11.50pm, shortly before we went to press.
Earlier in the day, members of the organised labour, comprising the NLC and the TUC had threatened to shun their respective places of work and some critical facilities that are driving Nigeria’s economy in protest against the arrest of Mr Ajaero.
This was just as the leadership of the NLC put its over 50 affiliate unions and state branches on standby for protest, if Mr Ajaero was not released by or before midnight.
Also speaking about Ajaero’s travails, one of his lawyers, Maxwell Opara, said that the labour leader had informed the DSS about his trip to the United Kingdom for an official engagement.
He told Premium Times that the DSS had invited Ajaero a couple of days ago via a telephone call but that he told the secret police that he would honour the invitation on Monday, 16th September, 2024, upon his return from the UK to Nigeria.
“They (DSS) invited him on the phone. He told them that he was engaged with the World Trade Union Congress. He had committed to meeting with the DSS on Monday when he returns from the UK,” Opara said yesterday.
‘Ajaero’s arrest sign of impunity’
There was back and forth over the development yesterday as the NLC described the labour leader’s arrest as “an attempt to suppress its members’ voice” amidst biting hunger and hardships.
Ajaero was grilled for hours at the secret police’s headquarters in Abuja before his release last night.
Security sources, who were familiar with the development, confided in our correspondent that the labour leader was intercepted over alleged terrorism financing – similar allegation over which the Nigeria Police Force had earlier levelled against him.
Another source told Daily Trust that the labour leader was earlier invited by the secret police based on issues that border on “national security”, after a petition was submitted against him but that he refused to honour the invitation.
“Our friend and brother, Comrade Ajaero knew why our operatives prevented him from his journey abroad. He was actually intercepted at the airport due to his failure to honour an invitation extended to him by the service.
“An invitation was sent to him since last week concerning a petition filed by top NLC leaders against him, and based on this, we have to invite him since the issues raised in the petition bothered on national security.
“Our new director-general, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, inherited the matter and when he assumed duty, he insisted that we first invite the NLC president to clear the air on some of the allegations but he did not honour the invitation,” the highly-placed official said.
He added: “Last week, we invited him (Ajaero) through the normal channel, which is on the telephone. A very senior director extended the invitation and was mandated to handle the investigation.
Ajaero promised to come today, Monday. The next thing we heard was that Ajaero was sighted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, trying to board an international flight. No responsible security organisation will fold its hands in the face of such contempt,” he said.
Operatives go after SERAP directors, raid Abuja office
A few hours after Ajaero’s arrest, operatives of the DSS laid siege to the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) located in Zone 1, Wuse, Abuja.
Although details of the operation at SERAP’s office were still sketchy as at the time of filing this report last night, the legal and advocacy organisation said the operatives demanded to see its directors.
APPRECIATION: Daily Trust
