THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has confirmed the arrest of its president, Joe Ajaero, by operatives of the State Security Service, (SSS) on Monday, September 9.
The arrest followed allegations of terrorism financing, subversion, and treasonable felony, which had led to rising tensions between the Nigerian government and the NLC.
Confirming his arrest, the NLC wrote on its Facebook page: “The assault on Nigeria workers continues. President of the NLC, comrade Joe Ajaero, was arrested and abducted by men of DSS at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport Abuja this morning on his way to attend an official engagement of TUC United Kingdom and he is now detained at the office of the NSA.”
Earlier on August 19, the labour leader was summoned by the Nigeria Police Force for questioning over similar charges, with authorities threatening to issue an arrest warrant should he fail to comply.
Consequently, on Thursday, Ajaero honoured the police invitation, with the NLC leadership mobilising its members, especially the central working committee (CWC) to storm the police headquarters, in Abuja, where Ajaero would be meeting the police.
However, Ajaero who arrived at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), some minutes past 10am left at 11.15am of the same day after writing his statement.
While the SSS, has yet to confirm the arrest, the NLC, has expressed outrage over the arrest, calling it a targeted attack on its leadership and an attempt to stifle dissent.
NLC officials have called for the immediate release of Ajaero, labelling the charges as politically motivated.
Background
The ICIR reports that following the #EndBadGovernance protests that rocked the nation between August 1-10, the personnel of the secret police invaded the NLC Abuja office on Wednesday, August 7.
Many Nigerians Nigerians took to the streets in over 22 states, demanding better governance, political reforms, and improved living conditions. The protesters also asked for the reversal of removal of petrol subsidy, which has caused severe economic downturns to the country.
The protests were largely peaceful in the early stage but would later be turned into violent as both security forces in some parts of the country resisted the protesters’ right to peaceful protest. The ICIR reported how the police, alongside other security forces, tear-gassed and shot at harmless protesters and journalists, particularly in Abuja and Kano.
However, in some states, thugs and hoodlums hijacked the protests to loot government properties, leading to arbitrary arrests and the detention of several demonstrators.
Some citizens were also sighted waving Russian flag, which led to widespread condemnation from the Nigerian government.
In reaction to this, the police noted that operatives arrested scores of civilians for alleged sedition and treason offences.
Confirming, the raid of the NLC office, the police stated that it raided the second floor of the Complex of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja in search of some incriminating documents to establish a case against an international “subversive” element who is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Meanwhile, the NLC accused personnel from the police and the State Security Service (SSS) of invading its office and stealing ‘hundreds of books.’
According to a statement by the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, the operatives arrested the security guards on duty. They forced them to hand over keys to the offices on the building’s second floor.
Upah added that the operatives broke into the floor, ransacked the bookshop, and stole hundreds of books and publications.
Reacting, the police said the detectives were tracing a suspect under investigation to a shop in the union’s building and the operation had no connection with the NLC secretariat or leadership.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M