Operatives of the Department of the State Service (DSS) have reportedly arrested President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero.
He was reportedly arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while about to board a flight to the United Kingdom (UK).
He is billed to attend the conference of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, in the UK today, according to sources.
Ajaero had on Thursday, August 31, honoured the invitation of the police to appear at the Force Intelligence Response Team’s (IRT) office in Abuja.
He was accompanied by his lawyer, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria; another senior lawyer, Maxwell Okpara; popular human rights activists, Deji Adeyanju; Marshal Abubakar and some senior officials of the NLC.
Our correspondent, who monitored the development, gathered that the labour leader was given a “statement sheet” to write all that he knew regarding the questions that were posed to him by some officers at the police unit.
Briefing newsmen after appearing before the police investigators, Ajaero said the circumstances surrounding his recent questioning were part of the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights, adding that the labour movement was worth dying for.
He said: “Comrades, the labour movement is worth dying for, because of patriotism and commitment. The Labour movement is one of the biggest pan-Nigerian organisations. Our patriotism from the days of colonial masters during the period of the military is unshakable.
“We are more patriotic than any other institution you can think of in this country. We have gone there and we are back. I just want to confirm to you that as a citizen, we have gone there and we are back here. You cannot do this kind of job without this kind of hazard, it is expected.
“Even at the unit level, some of us experienced this as far back as 1998. But what is important is the circumstances that took me to that place.
“For whatever is the case, we are out to continue the struggle, we have gotten minimum wage but it has not been implemented so we have to press for its implementation as soon as possible. Every other thing that will make the welfare of the Nigerian workers to be worthwhile, we will be involved in it. We will not listen to any distraction.”
