The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has come out to vehemently deny reports circulating in various media outlets that its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, was invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) before his arrest, but chose to ignore it. This claim, attributed to “sources within the agency,” has been widely disseminated, but the NLC is now setting the record straight.
According to Benson Upah, spokesman for the NLC, there was no such invitation extended to Comrade Ajaero by the DSS. Upah clarified that in the days leading up to Ajaero’s arrest, the NLC President had indeed had a discussion with the DSS Director-General about a courtesy visit. However, no date was fixed for this visit.
Furthermore, a Director in the DSS had later called the NLC General Secretary to discuss the need to schedule a date for the courtesy visit. The General Secretary explained that he would not be available until Friday, September 13, and the DSS Director assured him that they would provide the NLC leadership with a notice of at least 48 hours before the visit.
It is worth noting that Ajaero was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Monday while traveling to the United Kingdom for an official assignment. This arrest has raised eyebrows, particularly in light of the claims that Ajaero had ignored a DSS invitation.
The NLC is adamant that Comrade Ajaero is a law-abiding citizen who would not have ignored an invitation from the DSS. As the leader of the biggest pan-Nigerian organization, Ajaero has consistently demonstrated his commitment to patriotism and cooperation with authorities.
In fact, the NLC pointed out that Ajaero had honored a previous invitation from the police, demonstrating his willingness to work with law enforcement agencies. This makes the claims of ignored invitations all the more spurious.
As a renowned trade unionist with an international reputation, Comrade Ajaero’s constituency goes beyond Nigeria. He serves on the executive boards of world federations of trade unions and is widely respected for his dedication to the labor movement.
In conclusion, the NLC is setting the record straight: no DSS invitation was ignored by Comrade Joe Ajaero. The claims circulating in the media are baseless and misleading, and the NLC will not stand idly by while its President’s reputation is maligned.
