The Department of State Services has granted administrative bail to Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, following his arrest earlier in the day.
Pro-democracy activist and African Action Congress 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, confirmed Ajaero’s release in a post shared Monday night.
Sowore took to X announcing: “BREAKING: The fascist regime of @officialABAT has released the @NLCHeadquarters President Joe Ajaero from @OfficialDSSNG custody on bail.”
Ajaero had been apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while en route to the United Kingdom for an official engagement on Monday morning.
His arrest sparked a wave of outrage from various organizations, civil society groups, and prominent figures across the country.
Many quickly condemned the action, describing it as an assault on democratic values and the rights of workers.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, in particular, swiftly issued a call for his immediate release, expressing deep concern over the implications of his detention.
In an official statement released Monday evening by the NLC’s National Administrative Council, led by Deputy President Adeyanju Adewale, the group labeled the arrest as “brazen and illegal.”
The statement emphasized that Ajaero’s detention was not only a violation of his personal rights but also a threat to the broader principles of democracy and workers’ freedoms.
“The council issued an ultimatum, demanding Ajaero’s release by midnight on Monday,” the statement read, underscoring the urgency of the situation. The NLC vowed to continue advocating for justice and standing up against what they viewed as a blatant disregard for labor and democratic standards.