The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The arrest occurred on Monday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while Ajaero was en route to the United Kingdom for an official engagement, according to the NLC.
Benson Upah, the Head of Information at the NLC, confirmed the arrest to Channels Television. He explained that Ajaero was supposed to attend a conference organized by the Trade Union Congress in London, which began on the same day. Upah also revealed that the union had not been informed of Ajaero’s whereabouts following the arrest, but Ajaero had sent a message confirming that the DSS was responsible for detaining him.
Later, the NLC released a formal statement condemning the detention, describing it as an unlawful and intimidating act. The union pointed out that no legal warrant or formal documentation justified Ajaero’s arrest.
The statement emphasized that Ajaero was not a fugitive, and his detention was an egregious violation of the law and his civil rights. The union expressed outrage over the illegal nature of the arrest, stressing that it constituted a violation of democratic principles and the natural rights of citizens and workers.
The arrest follows Ajaero’s recent appearance at the police headquarters in connection with allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime. After writing a statement, Ajaero had been allowed to leave on the same day. However, a few days later, a new police invitation surfaced, summoning Ajaero for further questioning. This time, he was instructed to bring Emmanuel Ugboaja, the Secretary-General of the NLC, with him.
The letter of invitation, which was issued by the police, cited an investigation into charges of criminal intimidation, conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to property, all of which allegedly involved Ajaero. The invitation specified that Ajaero and Ugboaja were to appear before the Deputy Inspector General of Police at the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
Before this scheduled meeting, members of the NLC had gathered at their headquarters in a show of solidarity with Ajaero. They dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated and aimed at silencing organized labour. The union expressed concerns over the short notice given for Ajaero’s police appearance and requested a postponement.
The NLC also voiced fears that Ajaero could be detained and warned that if this happened, they would initiate a nationwide strike. The union accused the Federal Government of targeting its leaders for harassment and put its members on high alert in preparation for potential action.
This was echoed by NLC Deputy President Minjibir Ado, who issued a stern warning after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on August 20, stating that any detention of Ajaero would trigger a nationwide strike.
Amnesty International also weighed in on the situation, condemning the arrest and intimidation of Ajaero. Isa Sanusi, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, issued a statement criticizing the Nigerian authorities for making allegations of terrorism financing against Ajaero and other union leaders. The organization viewed these actions as an attempt to intimidate the labour movement.
Sanusi called on the Nigerian government to respect the rights of the labour unions and end what he described as a pattern of impunity. He also stressed that international human rights law, as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, guarantees freedom of association. He argued that workers have the right to participate in trade union activities without fear of being targeted or harassed.
