The Department of State Services (DSS) has detained Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
According to Vanguard, Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as he prepared to fly to the United Kingdom for an official engagement. He was reportedly attending a Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference.
Sources indicated that Ajaero has been handed over to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Prior to his arrest, Ajaero had requested to reschedule a police summons for him and NLC General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja from September 5 to September 25, 2024.
Ajaero’s counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), had accompanied him to the police headquarters for a prior meeting on August 29, where they discussed a possible postponement.
According to Falana, the police invitation related to allegations of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy, and treasonable felony.
However, Maxwell Opara, the NLC Deputy Lead Counsel, revealed that during a brief meeting with the police, they only inquired about a tenant in the Labour Secretariat and did not address the other serious charges. He also urged the release of protesters arrested during the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstrations.
