Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has shared details about his recent experience with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies following his arrest on Monday.
Ajaero confirmed that the DSS returned his phones and international passport after detaining him for over 16 hours at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Describing his ordeal, Ajaero said, “It felt as if the DSS were acting on behalf of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) because IRT operatives came to interrogate me and take my statement while I was in detention.”
He added that the DSS also interrogated him and took his statement, expressing confusion over the public nature of his arrest.
“The same IRT operatives we met on August 29, 2024, alongside Mr. Femi Falana, returned to ask the same questions as before,” Ajaero explained.
The interrogators inquired about the operator of Iva Valley Bookshop, located on the second floor of the NLC secretariat, and whether Ajaero had communicated with him via phone or in writing.
They also asked about the #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger protesters, specifically Eleojo Opaluwa, a staff member of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), whom Ajaero acknowledged employing at NUEE.
Regarding the Labour Party, Ajaero clarified that the NLC does not run the party but serves as its trustee. He also noted that the Labour Party was founded during Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure as NLC President.
The security agents also questioned him about a previously settled issue with Air Peace.
Ajaero suggested that the ongoing scrutiny by the security agencies seems aimed at finding evidence to incriminate him and the NLC, describing their actions as attempts to embarrass, persecute, and intimidate him.