The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on administrative bail late Monday night, reportedly to prevent a potential nationwide economic shutdown.
Omoyele Sowore confirmed Ajaero’s release via his official X account around midnight, stating, “BREAKING: The fascist regime of @officialABAT has released the @NLCHeadquarters President Joe Ajaero from @OfficialDSSNG custody on bail.”
However, as of the time of this report, the NLC had not officially confirmed his release.
Ajaero’s release follows a communique from the NLC threatening to shut down the country’s economy if he wasn’t freed by midnight on Monday. He had been arrested earlier that morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, while en route to the United Kingdom for an official engagement. His arrest had drawn widespread criticism from both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who demanded his immediate release.
In response, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) issued a notice threatening a nationwide grid shutdown if Ajaero wasn’t released by Monday.
Dr. Muda Yusuf, Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, urged the DSS to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic hardship by arresting Ajaero, suggesting that dialogue is the best way forward to avoid strikes or protests that could harm the economy. He also emphasized the importance of following due process in addressing any charges against Ajaero.
Meanwhile, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah warned that the DSS clampdown might extend beyond organized labor to other sectors, including the media. He described the arrest of Ajaero as a calculated move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration against the people and hinted at further actions that might be taken by the NLC.
In a related development, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) office in Abuja was also raided by DSS operatives on Monday.
