DSS Releases Joe Ajaero Amid Labour Threats of Strike

The Department of State Services (DSS) has granted administrative bail to Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), following mounting pressure from the organized labour union. His release occurred just before the midnight deadline set by the NLC, which had mobilized for potential nationwide action.

Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, confirmed Ajaero’s release late Monday night through a tweet.

Earlier on Monday, Ajaero was detained by the DSS at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he was about to board a flight to the UK for an official engagement. His arrest, coupled with a raid on the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), triggered backlash from labour groups and opposition parties.

READ ALSO:NLC Demands Joe Ajaero’s Release by Midnight, Calls for Emergency Meeting

In a swift reaction, the NLC convened an emergency meeting, where it demanded Ajaero’s immediate release and signaled readiness for a nationwide strike. NLC leaders condemned the arrest as a violation of workers’ rights and democratic freedoms, calling for the reversal of recent petrol price hikes and adherence to the new national minimum wage.

The arrest has stirred significant concern, with opposition parties, including the PDP and NNPP, criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration for what they described as a shift toward authoritarianism. They urged the government to focus on pressing national issues like hunger and unemployment rather than cracking down on dissent.

READ ALSO: Dangote Refinery Pricing No Below-Market Fuel Sales, Says Presidency

Labour groups and civil society organizations have rallied in solidarity, warning of mass protests if the government continues its repressive actions against union leaders.