The Department of State Services (DSS) has revealed the reasons behind the arrest and detention of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero.
According to sources within the agency, Ajaero was taken into custody on Monday morning due to his failure to honour an invitation extended to him by the DSS.
The invitation, which was sent last week, was related to a petition filed by top NLC leaders against Ajaero.
The petition, it was gathered, bordered on issues that threatened the stability of the nation.
A DSS source explained that the agency’s new Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, had inherited the petition upon assuming office less than two weeks ago and insisted on investigating the matter.
The source explained, “You know that our new DG (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,” the officer added.