Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has been released by the Department of State Services (DSS) after a brief detention that provoked outcry among labour unions.
Ajaero, who was held on Monday, September 9, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while en route to the United Kingdom for a Trade Union Congress (TUC) meeting, was released on bail after 11:00 p.m. the following day.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, credible sources within the labour union reported that Ajaero’s release occurred after the NLC threatened nationwide protests.
The union had set a deadline of midnight on Tuesday, September 10, warning of possible industrial action if Ajaero remained in detention.
In a carefully worded statement, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah condemned the arrest by saying, “The congress will not stand idly by while the rights of its leaders and members are trampled upon. Accordingly, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Ajaero.”
The DSS has yet to publish a formal statement detailing the circumstances surrounding Ajaero’s detention. However, sources within the agency claimed that the Labour leader was aware of the reasons for his detention.
Tensions rose as the NLC warned its affiliate unions to prepare for a national clash with the federal government.
The case underscores continuous tensions between the labor movement and government officials, as unions respond to perceived infringement of their leaders’ rights.
