AJAERO QUIZZED OVER WANTED BRITON, ATIKU KNOCKS TINUBU
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The over 15-hour-long interrogation of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, by the Department of State Services centred on the case of a Briton, Andrew Povich, alias Drew Povey, who was recently declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly sponsoring the recent nationwide #Hunger protest.
The police alleged that the Briton financed the protest to destabilise the government of President Bola Tinubu.
The Briton operates a bookshop at the Labour House, the national headquarters of the NLC in Abuja.
The police have maintained that there is a link between Ajaero and the Briton.
The NLC President has been quizzed by the police once and has been scheduled for a second round of grilling by the police.
On Monday morning, the DSS picked Ajaero up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja.
Ajaero, who was at the airport to catch a flight to the United Kingdom for a Trade Union Congress conference in London, was intercepted and taken into custody by DSS operatives.
He was grilled for over 15 hours before his eventual release shortly before midnight.
Speaking on the details of Ajaero’s interaction with the DSS on Monday, a ranking member of the union, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, revealed to our correspondent that the interrogation centred on the wanted Briton.
“They claimed they sent an invite to him. However, he was quizzed over matters related to security and the wanted Briton,” the source said.
Meanwhile, DSS, on Tuesday, released the passport of the embattled NLC President.
The release of the passport was facilitated through Abubakar Marshall of the Falana chambers on Tuesday.
Ajaero’s arrest by the DSS generated an uproar in the country on Monday with the NLC giving the Federal Government a midnight ultimatum to release its leader.
Succumbing to pressure, the DSS released Ajaero on Monday night.
Providing an update in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, counsel for the NLC, Femi Falana, said, “Ajaero’s passport was released today through my colleague, Abubakar Marshall. It has been handed over to him.”
Speaking on Tuesday on Channels TV, a former Assistant Director of the DSS, Dennis Amachree, argued that Ajaero was being investigated for suspected terrorism financing and related crimes, and therefore should not be permitted to leave Nigeria.
“There is an ongoing investigation, he (Ajaero) cannot leave the country.
“Let him remain in the country whilst investigations are going on.
“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?
“Remember, the main man (Andrew Wynne) that was suspected of financing terrorism is his tenant and I don’t think Ajaero is going to go to London without talking to that person because he is in London running his mouth.”
The former DSS director claimed that the labour leader might have been planning to abscond.
“Joe Ajaero has a terrorism case to answer and he is not above the law,” he added.
Atiku flays FG
On Tuesday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, lent his voice to the widespread condemnation of Ajaero’s arrest by the DSS on Monday.
In a post on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Atiku hit President Tinubu, saying the level of oppression in his government surpassed what was witnessed during the harshest days of military dictatorship.
“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.
“The recent arrest of Mr. Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, en route to an official event, epitomises this regime’s relentless campaign to intimidate and subdue organised labour.”
Atiku also condemned the DSS visit to the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project on Monday.
“Just days prior, security forces detained a journalist, only to later claim it was a grievous error. What if the outcome had been fatal?
“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.
“It is imperative that Tinubu and his security apparatus redirect their fervour and intimidation towards the true perpetrators of violence — terrorists and bandits — who are inflicting immeasurable suffering upon the Nigerian people,” he said.