The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, after arresting him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on his way to London to attend the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of the United Kingdom conference.
However, the DSS seized Ajaero’s passport, sparking widespread condemnation from labour unions and civil society groups nationwide.
Ajaero’s arrest came 11 days after he honoured an invitation by the Police on August 29, and was released the same day.
Legal adviser to NLC, Femi Falana, SAN, said the arrest of his client was not connected with an earlier invitation by the Police, adding that the DSS had failed to provide any reason for Ajaero’s arrest.
“The invitation to Comrade Joe Ajaero by the police was rescheduled last week. I have contacted the police authorities. The arrest is not related to the police invitation.
Comrade Ajaero was on his way to London to attend the ongoing TUC conference when he was arrested at the airport this morning by the DSS. No reason has been provided for the arrest,” Falana said.
The NLC dismissed insinuations that Ajaero was arrested for failing to honour an invitation by the DSS, or any other security agency, saying the report was nothing but mere mischief.
“We know those behind the baseless report. They should come open and tell the world why the NLC president was arrested. I can tell you that he was not arrested for failure to honour any invitation by the security agencies,” said Head, Media/Information, Benson Upah.
Labour unions and civil society groups, including the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Amnesty International, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), United Action Front of Civil Society (UAFCS), and Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), condemned the arrest and demanded Ajaero’s immediate and unconditional release.
