The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, President, Joe Ajaero, has been granted administrative bail by the Department of State Service, DSS, late Monday after his arrest sparked widespread condemnation.
It was gathered that Ajaero was released a few minutes before the 12midnight ultimatum issued by the organised labour.
He was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while traveling to London for the Trade Union Congress, TUC, conference which began yesterday.
The arrest occurred as the DSS raided the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP office in Abuja, prompting it to call on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
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NLC’s Head of Information, Benson Upah, confirmed Ajaero’s arrest but denied knowledge of his whereabouts, stressing that Ajaero was taken by state agents without a legal warrant or formal documentation.
Reports say Ajaero was moved to the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, after his arrest, which came 11 days after he responded to a police invitation.
Legal adviser Femi Falana stated that Ajaero’s arrest was not related to the police invitation and that no reason was given for the arrest.
Falana emphasized that the DSS failed to provide a reason for Ajaero’s arrest, which was not connected to the police invitation.
Numerous organizations’, civil society groups, activists and prominent individuals had denounced Ajaero’s arrest and demanded his immediate release.
