The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Joe Ajaero, the prominent labour leader and President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Ajaero’s detention was heavily criticized by the NLC, which issued a firm ultimatum to the DSS, demanding his release by midnight on Tuesday. The union also mobilized all its affiliates, state branches, civil society partners, and patriotic Nigerians, placing them on high alert in response to what they termed a “disturbing situation.”
According to Ajaero, the DSS permitted him to return home around 11 pm on Monday, following hours of interrogation. He explained that he had been in custody for about 15 hours, having been apprehended around 7 am at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
However, while the labour leader was allowed to leave, his travel passport was confiscated by the DSS. He also noted that, in addition to the DSS, other police officers were involved in his questioning at the DSS headquarters in Abuja. Their interrogation centered on his alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests that swept across the country in August.
Furthermore, Ajaero revealed that he was questioned regarding allegations of financing terrorism, specifically related to a British national named Andrew Wynne.
