The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has refuted claims that its President, Joe Ajaero, was invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) before his recent arrest.
The NLC released a statement on Wednesday, stating that reports circulating in various media outlets suggesting Ajaero had ignored an invitation from the DSS are incorrect.
According to Benson Upah, the NLC spokesperson, there have been allegations from unnamed “sources within the DSS” that Ajaero was invited by the agency prior to his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The sources claimed that Ajaero’s failure to respond to this invitation was the reason for his detention on Monday as he was en route to the United Kingdom for an official engagement.
However, the NLC’s statement clarifies that Ajaero had previously discussed a courtesy visit with the DSS Director General (DG). A director from the DSS later contacted the NLC General Secretary to schedule a date for this visit.
The General Secretary explained that he would be unavailable until Friday, September 13, but was assured by the director that the Congress would receive a notice of at least 48 hours for any such meeting.
Read full statement below;
DISREGARD THESE STORIES
Our attention has been drawn to a story (circulating in different media platforms) linked to “sources within the agency (DSS)” that preceding his arrest, Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress was invited by the DSS but that he did not honour the invitation.
The “sources” further added that it was reason for his arrest at the airport on his way to the UK.
We would like to set the records straight as follows: In the days preceding his arrest, Congress President had had a discussion with the DG DSS on a courtesy visit. A Director in the agency later called the General Secretary of the Congress on the need to fix a date for the courtesy visit. The General Secretary however explained to him that he would not be available until Friday (September 13). The said Director assured him they would give Congress leadership a notice of not less than 48 hours for the visit.
The DG DSS last spoke with Comrade Ajaero on Saturday night during which Ajaero told him he would be travelling the next day, Sunday, adding that the courtesy visit would be paid after his return on Friday, September 13.
The Congress President however missed his flight on Sunday and had it rescheduled to Monday, September 9th.
It was on that Monday morning he was picked up by the operatives of the DSS in a watch list operation on behalf of a sister agency.
We want to re-affirm that Joe Ajaero is a law-abiding citizen heading the biggest pan-Nigerian organisation with an illustrious history of patriotism and will certainly not snub the DSS. He is a trade unionist of international repute who serves on the executive boards of world federations of trade unions. His constituency goes beyond Nigeria.
It is not in his character to disregard invitations and precedents (his honouring the police invitation) attest to this.
Benson Upah
Head of Information and Public Affairs
