DSS Hands Over Joe Ajaero To NIA

By Adesina Soyooye

The arrested President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,  Joe Ajaero, has been handed over to the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.

Ajaero was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, September 9, 2024, as he was about to board a flight for an official assignment in London, United Kingdom.

It is not known yet, exactly,  why Ajaero was arrested, but he, and the NLC which he leads have been having a running battle with Nigeria’s Security Agencies.

It began on August 8, 2024, when the NLC Headquarters in Abuja was raided by Police Operatives in the night at about 9.00pm. They raided a couple of floors including the 10th. They went away with some documents, including books.

Initially, the Police denied its operatives carried out any operations at the NLC Headquarters, but admitted they did when the outrage reached high heavens.

However, the Police clarified that they went to the NLC in search of a foreign terrorist who is a tenant there.

Later, the Police raised the ante by inviting Ajaero in a letter dated August 19th, where he was asked to report for questioning on August 20th. In the letter, Ajaero was charged with alleged involvement in terrorism, its funding, criminal conspiracy, cybercrime and treasonable felony.

However, through his, and NLC’s Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN,  Ajaero shifted the scheduled interview date to August 29. His visit on August 29 was an anti-climax.

He neither wrote a statement nor  asked any questions relating to the serious allegations contained in his letter of invitation.

He was there for only about 20 minutes. He was asked about a tenant at the NLC Headquarters.

But again, the Police raised the ante. They invited Ajaero again with the NLC General Secretary, Comrade Ugboaja, against the 5th of September, this time, alleging criminal intimidation. But the two responded and proposed 29th September because of previous scheduled commitments.

NLC’s Lawyer, Falana, had explained, a couple of days ago that this second invitation to Ajaero is in connection with a petition against the NLC by a private company, allegedly, over the picketing and destruction of its property.

Apparently, it seems more than that given Ajaero’s arrest Monday morning at the Airport by the DSS  which handed him over to the NIA.