The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, was arrested on Monday by law enforcement agencies after failing to respond to multiple invitations from the police and the Department of State Services (DSS). The arrest was confirmed by security sources, including TheCable, and stems from a series of allegations, including a petition filed by Air Peace airlines, the details of which remain undisclosed.
Ajaero is also implicated in an alleged extortion case, which led to a summons by the DSS that he did not honor. In addition, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) had sought Ajaero’s cooperation in an investigation related to Andrew Wynne, a British national accused of sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria. Wynne has denied these allegations.
Arrest Linked to Extortion, Terrorism Financing, and Air Peace Petition; NLC Headquarters Raided
Although Ajaero initially refused to engage with law enforcement over his association with Wynne, he later agreed to cooperate. However, after his release following an initial questioning, he failed to attend further sessions as requested by authorities.
In August, the police invited Ajaero for questioning regarding several severe allegations, including criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime. As part of this investigation, the police conducted a search at the NLC headquarters in Abuja’s Central Business District, looking for what they described as “seditious materials” tied to the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Joe Ajaero Arrested After Ignoring Law Enforcement Summons
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, later revealed that the investigation uncovered links between an individual allegedly involved in the Sudanese conflict and the NLC headquarters. This individual was reportedly traced to a bookshop within the Labour House, leading to a targeted operation at the location.
The arrest of the NLC president has drawn significant attention, given his role in labor movements and ongoing national conversations about governance and reform. As investigations continue, Ajaero’s legal and political future remains uncertain.
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