NLC President Joe Ajaero Arrested By SSS at Abuja Airport

 Mr. Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was arrested this morning by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Ajaero was attempting to board a flight to the United Kingdom to attend a conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) when he was apprehended.

According to sources, Ajaero has since been handed over to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), although the specific reasons for his arrest remain unclear. The NLC President had been on the radar of security agents in recent weeks, facing multiple police summons.

On August 20th, Ajaero honored an invitation by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Police Force, following a summons issued the previous day threatening arrest for non-compliance. He was accompanied by human rights activist Femi Falana (SAN), lawyers Maxwell Opara and Deji Adeyanju, and other labor leaders to respond to allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.

Recall that the Police again summoned Ajaero and NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja to appear at Force Headquarters on September 5th. The summons, signed by Commissioner of Police Ibitoye Rufus Alajide on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), cited alleged criminal intimidation, conducts likely to cause a breach of public peace, and malicious damage to properties.