The recent arrest and detention of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, by the State Security Service (SSS), has triggered a public spat between the federal government and the labour movement.

Mr Ajaero, who was en route to the United Kingdom for the World Trade Union Congress (WTUC) conference, was arrested and detained for several hours by the secret police on Monday.

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He was billed to address the global gathering of workers on behalf of Nigerian workers.

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Several individuals and organisations, including Amnesty International (AI) and the TUC, joined the NLC to condemn the arrest and demand his release.

Mr Ajaero, who was seized by the operatives at 7 a.m., was released at about 11 p.m. on that day.

The incident, however, has led to claims and counterclaims between the government and the labour centre.

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In a statement shortly after the arrest, the NLC described the development as a brazen act of lawlessness and intimidation as he (Ajaero) had not been declared wanted by any law enforcement agency.

The Congress also said the arrest amounted to “not just stopping a lawful citizen from travelling but also sequestering his freedom is an affront to our democratic and natural rights as a people and as workers.”

It called for the immediate and unconditional release of its president.

Government defends arrest
The federal government, however, dismissed the claims, saying Mr Ajaero’s arrest was justified because the labour leader refused to honour a law enforcement agency’s invitation.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, insisted that the arrest had nothing to do with his role as NLC president and rejected accusations of human rights abuses.

“The Nigerian government was wrongly and falsely accused of rights abuse because the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, was stopped from travelling abroad after he snubbed the invitation of a law enforcement agency conducting an ongoing investigation, ” Mr Onanuga said.

The presidential aide added, “Ajaero, who likely considers himself above the law, was slated to speak at a conference where the UK’s Trade Union Congress leader attacked Nigeria. No one is above the law, and he was rightfully placed on a watchlist by a sister agency.”

NLC kicks
However, in a statement on Wednesday, the NLC refuted the claims, saying no formal invitation was issued before its leader’s arrest.

The NLC Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, in the statement, said Mr Ajaero had been in direct communication with the Director-General of the SSS (also called DSS) just days before the incident.

According to Mr Upah, the DG spoke with Mr Ajaero on the night of Saturday, (7 September), during which the labour leader informed him of his upcoming travel plans.

He said the two had agreed that any meeting would take place after Mr Ajaero’s return on Friday, 13 September.

“There was no summon that Ajaero ignored,” Mr Upah said, noting that a previous conversation with a senior SSS official had resulted in a tentative agreement to set a meeting after Ajaero’s return to the country. “The Congress leadership was assured it would be given 48 hours’ notice before any visit.”

The union further said Mr Ajaero has a status as a law-abiding citizen and an internationally recognised trade unionist, who has never shied away from cooperating with government agencies.

“It is not in his character to disregard official invitations,” Mr Upah added, pointing out that Mr Ajaero had recently honoured an invitation from the police, underscoring his respect for due process.

SSS undermining NLC – Lawyer
Meanwhile, Mr Ajaero’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, has criticised the SSS for misrepresenting his client’s schedule, accusing the agency of deliberately trying to undermine the NLC president.

Mr Opara said the labour leader had informed the SSS of his planned trip to the UK for an engagement with the World Trade Union Congress and had committed to meeting with the agency upon his return.

“He told them he would be available on Monday, 16 September, and they agreed,” Mr Opara said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES. “This arrest is a calculated attempt to disrupt his work and weaken his influence.”

He alleged that the government was attempting to remove Mr Ajaero from his position as NLC president in favour of someone more aligned with its interests, adding, “The timing of this arrest speaks volumes.”