NLC Refutes Claim That Its President, Joe Ajaero Was Trying To Leave the Country to Avoid Detention

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has denied claims alleging that its President, Joe Ajaero, was apprehended by the Department of State Services (DSS) for neglecting to respond to an invitation from the agency.

The NLC stated in a press release urging that these narratives are untrue. According to the statement, before his detention, Comrade Ajaero had corresponded with the DSS’s Director General (DG).

The NLC disclosed that a conversation occurred between Ajaero and the DG over a courtesy visit. Due to schedule issues, the NLC’s General Secretary notified the DSS that Ajaero would be accessible only on Friday, September 13.

The DSS was guaranteed that the congress would furnish adequate notice for the visit. The NLC said Ajaero missed his flight on Sunday, September 8, necessitating rescheduling his departure to Monday, September 9.

On that Monday morning, DSS agents apprehended him as part of a watch list operation, which the NLC confirmed was conducted on behalf of a sister agency.

The labour union reaffirmed that the accusations regarding Ajaero’s arrest were unfounded and intended to damage his character and mislead the public.

It will be recalled that the Nigeria Police Force had also issued a second invitation to Ajaero and the union’s Secretary General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of criminal intimidation, malicious damage to properties, and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace.

The latest invitation was just a day after Ajaero honoured an earlier summon at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

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Oluwasegun Sanusi

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