The Department of State Services (DSS) has released the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, after detaining him for hours at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Ajaero, who was on his way to attend a Trade Union Congress (TUC) event in the UK, was arrested early Monday morning at around 7am.
He was later granted bail and released at about 11pm the same day.
However, his international passport was confiscated by the DSS.
In an interview with The Guardian, Ajaero disclosed that his detention stemmed from allegations of terrorism financing, specifically related to a British national, Andrew Wynne.
He further revealed that the police also questioned him about his involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place nationwide in August.
The authorities have summoned Ajaero and the NLC’s Secretary-General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, for further questioning later this month, as investigations into the case continue.
This development comes amid rising tensions between the government and labour unions over economic policies and governance issues. The NLC has been vocal in its criticism of the government’s handling of various national challenges, making this incident a point of concern for both the union and its members.
