More facts have emerged on possible reasons behind the arrest and detention of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero by the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Recall that the DSS operatives arrested the NLC president yesterday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. According to reports, Ajaero was about to board a flight to attend a conference of Trade Union Congresses (TUC) in the United Kingdom (UK) when operatives of the DSS picked him up, and was handed over to the National Intelligence Agency, (NIA).
The agency’s sources revealed to newsmen yesterday that Ajaero was taken into custody due to his failure to honour an invitation extended to him by the DSS.
The invitation, which was sent last week, was related to a petition filed by top NLC leaders against Ajaero, which bordered on issues that threatened the stability of the nation.
A DSS source explained that the agency’s new Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, had inherited the petition upon assuming office less than two weeks ago and insisted on investigating the matter.
The source explained, “You know that our new DG (Director-General), Oluwatosin Ajayi resumed duty less than two weeks ago. This was one of the petitions he inherited. He insisted that we invite the NLC president to clear the air on some of the allegations.
“Last week, we invited him (Ajaero) through the normal channel, which is on the telephone. A very senior director extended the invitation and was mandated to handle the investigation.
“Ajaero promised to come today, (yesterday). The next thing we heard was that Ajaero was sighted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, trying to board an international flight. No responsible security organisation will fold its hands in the face of such contempt.
“The law setting-up the DSS empowers us to defend Nigeria against domestic threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of Nigeria, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal and state law-enforcement organs.
“This, we have done over the decades without fear or favour. We often praise the CIA in the United States for operating without fear or favour. See the way former President Donald Trump is being dragged around, even though he has the chance of returning as president”.
“We must learn to live within the ambit of the law, including honouring invitations by security agencies. I’m sure he’ll be released after he clears the air on the allegations against him by some of his colleague-officers in the NLC”, the officer added.
Meanwhile, the NLC, in reaction yesterday, threatened a showdown with the Federal Government, accusing security operatives of abducting its President and forcefully whisking him away without a warrant.
According to reports, the NLC alerted all its affiliates, state councils, and Nigerian workers, urging them to remain vigilant and on high alert.
The NLC, in a statement, titled: “Comrade Joe Ajaero: President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been Detained by the Nigerian Government”, signed by its Head Media/Information, Benson Upah, described the arrest as “an unmistakable demonstration of the height of lawlessness being perpetuated by the Nigerian government and its agencies in their bid to silence every voice of dissent and opposition in the country as the economic policies of the government continues to afflict the people with monumental suffering and hardship”.
