The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described as untrue and mischievous reports that its President, Joe Ajaero, was invited by the Department of State Services, DSS, but failed honour the invitation, leading to his arrest.
The NLC said it was not in Ajaero’s character to disregard invitations and precedents attest to his regards for authorities.
Ajaero was arrested and detained by the DSS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, en route to London to attend a conference of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, of UK.
Following the uproar that greeted the DSS action, the Presidency said no one was above the law.
Also, the government said Ajaero should have honoured the security agency’s invitation.
Furthermore, the narrative that Ajaero snubbed the DSS invitation gained traction, prompting the NLC to react and “set the records straight”.
NLC, in the statement by its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a story (circulating in different media platforms) linked to ‘sources within the agency (DSS)’ that preceding his arrest, Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, was invited by the DSS but that he did not honour the invitation.
“The ‘sources’ further added that it was reason for his arrest at the airport on his way to the UK.
“In the days preceding his arrest, Congress President had had a discussion with the Director-General, DG, DSS on a courtesy visit.
“A Director in the agency later called the General Secretary of the Congress on the need to fix a date for the courtesy visit. The General Secretary however explained to him that he would not be available until Friday (September 13).
“The said Director assured him they would give Congress leadership a notice of not less than 48 hours for the visit.
“The DG DSS last spoke with Comrade Ajaero on Saturday night during which Ajaero told him he would be travelling the next day, Sunday, adding that the courtesy visit would be paid after his return on Friday, September 13.
“The Congress President, however, missed his flight on Sunday and had it rescheduled to Monday, September 9th.
“It was on that Monday morning he was picked up by the operatives of the DSS in a watch list operation on behalf of a sister agency.
“We want to re-affirm that Joe Ajaero is a law-abiding citizen heading the biggest pan-Nigerian organisation with an illustrious history of patriotism and will certainly not snub the DSS.
“He is a trade unionist of international repute, who serves on the executive boards of world federations of trade unions. His constituency goes beyond Nigeria.”
