The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on administrative bail after facing growing pressure from organized labour and opposition parties. Ajaero’s release occurred just before the midnight deadline set by the NLC, which had threatened a nationwide strike if he remained in custody.
As reported by Punch, Ajaero was detained on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while preparing to travel to the United Kingdom for the Trade Union Congress conference in London. His arrest coincided with a raid by the DSS on the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), where officers reportedly sought to interrogate the organization’s directors.
Opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), sharply criticized Ajaero’s arrest, describing it as a threat to democratic values under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Punch also reported that these parties condemned the government’s actions as an attack on labor rights and free expression.
In response, the NLC swiftly convened a closed-door meeting in Abuja with its key stakeholders. Following the meeting, NLC Deputy President Adeyanju Adewale issued a statement describing Ajaero’s arrest as “brazen and illegal” and demanded his immediate release by midnight. The union also called for the reversal of the recent fuel price hike to ₦617 per liter, citing the detrimental impact on Nigerian workers.
According to Punch, the NLC has placed its affiliates, state councils, and civil society partners on high alert, signaling the possibility of a nationwide strike if its demands are not met. The congress emphasized that it would not allow workers’ rights to be trampled upon and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting them from government oppression.
“The NLC is dedicated to upholding the rights of workers and will not tolerate any form of injustice. We urge the government to change course and swiftly implement the new National Minimum Wage to alleviate the economic hardship workers are facing,” the statement read.
Ajaero’s release late Monday night follows growing tensions between the federal government and labor unions, with the NLC warning of further actions if the government fails to meet their demands.
