The Department of State Services, DSS, has provided reasons for the arrest of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, President, Joe Ajaero.
Sources within the agency, disclosed that Ajaero was detained on Monday morning for failing to respond to an invitation from the DSS. The invitation, issued last week, was linked to a petition submitted by senior NLC officials alleging actions by Ajaero that posed a threat to national stability.
A DSS source explained that the agency’s new Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, inherited the petition upon taking office recently and prioritized an investigation into the matter. Despite promising to appear, Ajaero was apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he attempted to board a flight to UK.
The DSS emphasized that it acted within its legal mandate to investigate internal threats and enforce national laws. Ajaero is expected to be released after addressing the allegations raised by his colleagues in the NLC.
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A source from the secret police explained : “You know that our new Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi resumed duty less than two weeks ago. This was one of the petitions he inherited. He insisted that we invite the NLC president to clear the air on some of the allegations.
“Last week, we invited him (Ajaero) through the normal channel, which is on the telephone. A very senior director extended the invitation and was mandated to handle the investigation.
“Ajaero promised to come today, Monday. The next thing we heard was that Ajaero was sighted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, trying to board an international flight.
“No responsible security organization will fold its hands in the face of such contempt. The law setting up the DSS empowers us to defend Nigeria against domestic threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of Nigeria, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal and state law-enforcement organs.
“This, we have done over the decades without fear or favour. We often praise the CIA in the United States for operating without fear or favour. See the way former President Donald Trump is being dragged around, even though he has the chance of returning as president.
“We must learn to live within the ambit of the law, including honouring invitations by security agencies. I’m sure he’ll be released after he clears the air on the allegations against him by some of his colleague-officers in the NLC.”
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