DSS releases Joe Ajaero’s seized passport

The Department of State Services (DSS) has released the passport of Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The secret police released Ajaero’s passport on Tuesday through Abubakar Marshall, a lawyer from the Femi Falana chambers.

Benson Upah, the NLC spokesperson, confirmed the release of the passport.

On Monday, Ajaero was arrested by operatives of the DSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja while he was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom (UK).

The NLC spokesperson said Ajaero was going to the UK at Britain’s Trade Union Congress (TUC) invitation.

Upah said Ajaero’s detention thwarted his plans to “represent Nigerian workers’ interests at a pivotal international labour conference”.

After the labour leader’s arrest, NLC alerted all its affiliates, state councils, and Nigerian workers to remain “vigilant and on high alert”.

The labour union also demanded his “unconditional” release before 12 midnight. But the DSS released the NLC president on Monday night.

On August 19, the police invited Ajaero for questioning over “a case of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime”.

Ajaero declined to honour the invitation, demanding details of the allegations levelled against him while the police rescheduled the interview to August 29.

On August 29, Ajaero honoured the police invitation in the company of Falana and other labour leaders.

On August 30, the police issued another invitation to Ajaero and Emma Ugboaja, the general secretary of the NLC, to appear on September 5.

However, Falana said the Ajaero’s arrest on Monday was unconnected with the earlier invitation by the police.