By Gideon Maxwell
September 9, 2024
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), has arrested Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Ajaero was preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom for an official assignment when he was detained by the.
The arrest occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, on Monday, as Ajaero was scheduled to attend the conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in London, which was set to begin on the same day.
After his arrest, Ajaero has been handed over to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
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This arrest follows a previous police invitation to Ajaero for questioning over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
Ajaero had been invited by the police for an interview on August 20, 2024, regarding these charges. He had requested a postponement of the interrogation to September 25, 2024, due to his engagement outside Abuja.
On August 29, 2024, Ajaero appeared at the police headquarters for his first interview, accompanied by his counsel, Femi Falana (SAN).
The meeting was brief and did not cover the alleged serious charges mentioned in the invitation letter.
The NLC had earlier threatened a nationwide shutdown if Ajaero was detained or arrested. This decision was made during an emergency National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja.
The reasons behind the DSS’s decision to arrest Ajaero at this time remain unclear, but the move has significant implications for labor relations and potential nationwide actions by the NLC.
