The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says Joe Ajaero, its president, has gained access to his travel passport.
Benson Upah, the NLC spokesperson, confirmed the development to a source privy to News About Nigeria on Tuesday.
Recall that Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja as he was about to board a flight to the UK.
In a statement on Monday, Upah said Ajaero’s detention thwarted his plans to “represent Nigerian workers’ interests at a pivotal international labour conference.”
The NLC said it demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the Ajaero before midnight on Monday.
They also added that the union has alerted all its affiliates, state councils, and Nigerian workers to remain vigilant and on high alert.
But the NLC announced the release of its president in a terse statement on Tuesday on its official X page.
“NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero Released from DSS detention. The Struggle Continues, We can’t be Silenced,” the NLC wrote on X.
“Though I was detained by the DSS, some police officers also came around to grill me at the DSS office in Abuja over the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests that took place in August,” Channels TV had quoted Ajaero as saying.
The NLC president said he was grilled over alleged terrorism financing involving Andrew Wynne, a British national.
On August 19, the police invited Ajaero for questioning over “a case of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.”
Ajaero declined the invitation, demanding details of the allegations levelled against him.
On August 7, police raided the NLC building in the Central Business District of Abuja.
The NLC said operatives who raided the building “claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernance protests.”
Nigerians took to the streets from August 1-10 to protest against economic hardship and soaring inflation with #EndBadGovernance as the theme.
