9th September, 2024
By Paul Dada
Operatives of the Department of the State Services on Monday arrested the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.
The NLC President, Ajaero, it was learnt, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to the United Kingdom.
He was reportedly on his way to attend the Trade Union Congress conference in London.
The NLC President is being investigated for terrorism financing among others.
The NLC in a statement on its website said “This morning, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, was seized and whisked away by agents of the Nigerian State while on his way to the United Kingdom on the invitation of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Britain.
“Comrade Ajaero was set to attend and address the global gathering of workers on behalf of Nigerian workers at the Congress of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK, a platform where critical discussions on workers’ rights, social justice, and economic fairness are discussed.
“We are yet to ascertain his whereabouts or his state of health as all efforts we have made to get in touch with him have proved abortive.”
NLC, in a statement issued by Benson Upah, Head of Information and Public Affairs, said Ajaero has been detained without any legal warrant or formal instrument.
“Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive. His detention is therefore a brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation as he has not been declared wanted by any law enforcement body. His detention is a brazen act of intimidation and completely unjustified under the laws of our nation.
“The mere contemplation of not just stopping a lawful citizen from travelling but also sequestering his freedom is an affront to our democratic and natural rights as a people and as workers,” the body said.
