LAGOS – The leader of one of Nigeria’s top labour unions has been released from custody by a domestic security agency a day after he was detained at Abuja airport, his union said yesterday. 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said Joe Ajaero was detained by the Department of State Services or DSS on Monday as he tried to board a flight to London.

The NLC chief had been critical recently of government economic policies, especially a hike in fuel prices that worsend a cost of living for many Nigerians.

“Comrade Joe Ajaero released from DSS custody,” NLC said in a brief statement on X, formerly Twitter.

“The struggle continues, we can’t be silenced.”

The DSS, which manages Nigeria’s domestic security threats, has not responded to requests for details about Ajaero. The presidency also did not respond to calls about his detention.

No details have been made public about why Ajaero was detained and then released.
The NLC and fellow unions, who have tens of thousands of members from civil servants to transport workers, in June briefly shut down the national grid, disrupted domestic flights and closed public offices to protest over high costs of living.

NLC said DSS arrested Ajaero days after he faulted the government for hiking prices of petrol and accused the government of “muzzling lawful dissent”.

Africa’s most populous nation is struggling with its toughest cost of living crisis in years, with inflation at more than 30% and the naira currency sharply devalued.

Since coming to office a year and a half ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has implemented reforms his government say will stabilise the country’s finances and bring in investment long term.

He has repeatedly called for patience, and approved a more than doubling of the minimum wage among other measures to alleviate economic pain.

But in the short term Nigerians have seen living costs climb.
Last week, the state oil company acknowledged huge debts to fuel suppliers and announced an approximately 40% hike in petrol prices to help its finances. – Nampa/AFP