NLC: Ajaero didn’t shun DSS invitation — he’s a law-abiding citizen

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says Joe Ajaero, its president, did not shun the invitation of the Department of State Services (DSS).

In a statement on Wednesday, Benson Upah, NLC spokesperson, said Ajaero is a law-abiding citizen, noting that it is not in his character to disregard invitations from law enforcement agencies.

THE ARREST

On Monday, Ajaero was arrested 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.

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 midnight. But the DSS released the NLC president on Monday night.

TheCable reported that Ajaero was arrested for failing to honour a police invitation over a petition by Air Peace Airlines.

Sources told TheCable that Ajaero also failed to honour an invitation by the DSS over an alleged case of extortion.

However, Omotade Makinwa, Air Peace spokesperson, said the police acted a year after the petition was withdrawn.

Amid the reactions trailing the arrest, the presidency said Ajaero is not above the law in Nigeria, adding that the NLC president failed to honour the summons of the law enforcement agencies.

‘AJAERO’S INTERACTION WITH DSS BEFORE ARREST’

Upah asked members of the public to “disregard” the report that Ajaero failed to honour the invitation of the DSS.

He added that the days before the arrest, the NLC president interacted with the DSS director-general on a courtesy visit.

“We would like to set the records straight as follows: In the days preceding his arrest, the congress president had a discussion with the DG DSS on a courtesy visit,” the statement reads.

“A director in the agency later called the general secretary of the congress on the need to fix a date for the courtesy visit.

“The general secretary, however, explained to him that he would not be available until Friday (September 13). The said director assured him they would give congress leadership a notice of not less than 48 hours for the visit.

“The DG DSS last spoke with Comrade Ajaero on Saturday night, during which Ajaero told him he would be travelling the next day, Sunday, adding that the courtesy visit would be paid after his return on Friday, September 13.

“The congress president, however, missed his flight on Sunday and had it rescheduled to Monday, September 9th. It was on that Monday morning he was picked up by the operatives of the DSS in a watch list operation on behalf of a sister agency.

“We want to reaffirm that Joe Ajaero is a law-abiding citizen heading the biggest pan-Nigerian organisation with an illustrious history of patriotism and will certainly not snub the DSS.

“He is a trade unionist of international repute who serves on the executive boards of world federations of trade unions. His constituency goes beyond Nigeria.

“It is not in his character to disregard invitations and precedents (his honouring the police invitation) attest to this.”