Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has shed light on his recent ordeal with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies following his arrest on Monday.
The DSS had detained Ajaero for over 16 hours at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, seizing his phones and international passport.
However, Ajaero confirmed on Tuesday that his items had been returned. He said, “Yes, it is true. My phones and passport have been returned to me by the DSS.”
Reflecting on his experience, Ajaero described it as a troubling episode.
“It was like the DSS arrested me on behalf of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) department of the Police because IRT operatives came to interrogate me and take my statement while I was detained,” he explained.
“The DSS also interrogated me and took my statement. I do not know why they had to embarrass me publicly like that.”
Ajaero detailed the nature of the interrogations. “The same IRT operatives in whose office we were on August 29, 2024, alongside Mr. Femi Falana, came and asked the same questions I was asked in the previous meeting with them.
“They asked about the operator of Iva Valley Bookshop on the second floor of the NLC secretariat building. They asked me whether we had communicated on phone, whether he (the Iva Valley operator) communicated with me in writing, and so on.”
He continued, “They also asked if I know the protesters (#EndBadGovernance or #EndHunger), especially Eleojo Opaluwa, a staff of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). I told them I knew him because I employed him at NUEE.”
Regarding the Labour Party, Ajaero noted, “They equally asked about the Labour Party (LP), whether we are running the party. I told them we do not run Labour Party, but that we are a trustee of the party.
“I also told them that the Labour Party they see today was founded when Adams Oshiomhole was President of NLC.”
He also mentioned inquiries about a previously settled issue with Air Peace. “They asked about the issue of Air Peace which we had settled since last year.”
Ajaero expressed frustration over what he perceives as a pattern of harassment. “It is like the security agents are searching for evidence on how and what to nail us with.
“That is why they have continued to embarrass, persecute, intimidate, and do whatever they liked to cow us.”
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