DSS Releases Ajaero, Seizes Passport

The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), after detaining him for approximately 15 hours, Naija News reports.

Ajaero confirmed his release to Channels TV, stating he was allowed to leave around 11 pm on Monday.

Ajaero was apprehended early Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he was preparing to depart for the United Kingdom to attend a Trade Union Congress (TUC) event.

His arrest has been linked to inquiries into alleged terrorism financing involving a British national named Andrew Wynne.

During his detention, Ajaero was subjected to extensive questioning not only by the DSS but also by police officers.

According to Ajaero, the interrogation focused on his alleged involvement in the financing of terrorism and his connections to the #EndBadGovernance protests that swept across the nation in August.

Despite his release, he noted that the secret police have seized his travel passport.

Ajaero’s earlier arrest had sparked widespread condemnation from various quarters, including the TUC, global rights group Amnesty International, and notable human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, who have all demanded his immediate and unconditional release.

The NLC had issued a stern ultimatum to the DSS, demanding Ajaero’s release by Monday midnight and putting its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and supporters on high alert over what it termed a “troubling development.”

This is not the first time Ajaero has faced security challenges; he was previously arrested in November of last year in Imo State on the eve of a planned protest over unpaid workers’ salaries and other issues.