Why Ajaero Was Arrested By DSS — Presidency

The Presidency has explained that Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, was detained by the Department of State Service (DSS) due to his refusal to respond to an invitation for an ongoing investigation.

This was revealed in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, who also dismissed allegations of human rights violations in Nigeria made by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK during their London conference.

Ajaero was reportedly arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while heading to the UK to attend the same conference where criticisms against Nigeria were made.

The statement stressed that no one, including Ajaero, is above the law, and highlighted that Nigeria, like other nations, operates under a Constitution that mandates adherence to lawful investigations.

Citing examples from the US, including investigations into former President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden, the statement defended Nigeria’s stance on legal summons, emphasizing that the accusations of human rights abuses were baseless.

The Presidency also highlighted the pro-democracy credentials of President Tinubu and his administration’s commitment to protecting civil liberties.

It was further clarified that Ajaero’s detention was unrelated to his position as NLC President, urging him to cooperate with the security agencies rather than rallying negative public opinion.

The statement reaffirmed the government’s willingness to engage with labour unions on policy matters, despite ideological differences.

In conclusion, the Presidency criticized the NLC and TUC for past stances that allegedly harmed Nigeria’s economic growth, referencing their opposition to the 2007 sale of refineries to the Bluestar Consortium.

While those refineries have since failed, one of Bluestar’s promoters, Aliko Dangote, went on to build the world’s largest single-train refinery, which the Labour Movement has now praised.

The government reiterated its commitment to policies aimed at boosting economic growth and prosperity for Nigerians.