Civil society organizations (CSOs) have denounced the Department of State Services (DSS) for its arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, describing it as a “Gestapo-style” operation. Ajaero was detained at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while en route to the UK for the Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference.
The United Action Front of Civil Society criticized the arrest as a “needless show of force” and a deliberate attempt to provoke chaos. They view it as indicative of a troubling shift towards authoritarianism in Nigeria. Hamisu Santuraki, the group’s Head of Secretariat, called for Ajaero’s immediate release, warning that his detention could lead to widespread unrest.
Santuraki condemned the DSS for abandoning standard procedures in handling high-profile individuals, likening the treatment of Ajaero to that of a common criminal rather than a prominent labour leader. The CSOs expressed concerns that the arrest is part of an effort to silence dissenting voices within the labour movement and threatened civil disobedience if Ajaero is not released.
The arrest has heightened tensions, with fears that it could spark significant resistance and further unrest across the country.
