The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, was subjected to a lengthy interrogation by the Department of State Services (DSS), with the questioning centered on his alleged connections to a Briton, Andrew Povich, also known as Drew Povey. Povich was recently declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly financing the recent nationwide #Hunger protest, which was perceived as an attempt to destabilize the government of President Bola Tinubu.
Ajaero was intercepted by DSS operatives on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, where he was scheduled to board a flight to the United Kingdom for a Trade Union Congress conference in London. He was detained and questioned for over 15 hours before being released shortly before midnight.
Sources within the NLC, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue, revealed that the DSS’s interrogation focused heavily on Ajaero’s alleged ties to the wanted Briton.
The source said, “They claimed they sent an invite to him. However, he was quizzed over matters related to security and the wanted Briton.”
The police had previously suggested a connection between Ajaero and Povich, who operates a bookshop at the Labour House, the national headquarters of the NLC in Abuja. The police allege that Povich’s activities are linked to efforts to undermine the Tinubu administration.
On Tuesday, the DSS returned Ajaero’s passport, which had been seized during his arrest. The passport was handed over to Ajaero through Abubakar Marshall of Falana Chambers, the law firm representing the NLC.
Confirming this development, Femi Falana, counsel for the NLC, said, “Ajaero’s passport was released today through my colleague, Abubakar Marshall. It has been handed over to him.”
The arrest and interrogation of Ajaero sparked outrage across Nigeria, with the NLC issuing a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate release of their leader. Facing mounting pressure, the DSS released Ajaero late on Monday night.
Commenting on the situation during an interview with Channels TV on Tuesday, former Assistant Director of the DSS, Dennis Amachree, argued that Ajaero was under investigation for suspected terrorism financing and related crimes, and therefore should not be allowed to leave the country.
“There is an ongoing investigation, he (Ajaero) cannot leave the country. For terrorism financing which he (Ajaero) has been accused of, and which is under investigation, he cannot leave the country. Even if he is leaving the country, where is he going?” Amachree questioned.
He further claimed that Ajaero’s alleged involvement with Andrew Povich, who is suspected of financing terrorism, makes the case even more serious.
Amachree suggested that Ajaero might have been planning to flee the country, adding, “Joe Ajaero has a terrorism case to answer and he is not above the law.”
In a related development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar expressed his disapproval of Ajaero’s arrest, criticizing the Tinubu administration for what he described as an escalating assault on civil society and the media. In a post on his verified Facebook page, Atiku stated, “The escalating assault on civil society and the media by the Bola Tinubu administration is profoundly disturbing. The level of oppressive control now imposed surpasses even the harshest days of military dictatorship.”
Atiku condemned the DSS’s actions, including their visit to the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Monday. He also referenced the recent detention of a journalist, which the authorities later claimed was a mistake, and warned about the potential consequences of such actions.
“Now, Tinubu’s regime extends its repressive grasp to encroach upon SERAP, an action that stands as a grave affront to our democratic values. This siege is anathema to the principles of freedom and justice,” he said.
Atiku called on the Tinubu administration to focus its efforts on combating the true perpetrators of violence in Nigeria, such as terrorists and bandits, rather than targeting civil society and labor leaders.
“It is imperative that Tinubu and his security apparatus redirect their fervor and intimidation towards the true perpetrators of violence — terrorists and bandits — who are inflicting immeasurable suffering upon the Nigerian people,” he concluded.