Breaking News: NLC President Joe Ajaero released on bail by DSS amid fears of nationwide protests

September 10, 2024

By Samuel Ogunsona

The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero on bail, following his arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while en route to a Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference in the United Kingdom.

Ajaero’s detention sparked a swift response from the NLC, which convened an emergency meeting of its National Administrative Council (NAC) to condemn the arrest and demand his immediate release.

The union viewed the arrest as an attack on Nigerian workers and expressed concerns that it may be linked to attempts to delay the implementation of the new minimum wage.

The NLC also called on its members, state branches, and the public to remain vigilant and mobilize for further action. Additionally, the union demanded a reduction in petrol prices to ₦617 per litre.

“We wish to categorically state that Comrade Ajaero has been detained without any legal warrant or formal instrument. Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive,” the NLC had said in a statement.

“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 statement read in part.

A follow-up meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) is scheduled for September 10 to determine the next steps in the union’s response.

The NLC announced Ajaero’s release on Twitter on Tuesday morning, bringing an end to his brief detention.