The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has made serious allegations against the federal government, accusing it of installing a British national at the headquarters of the labour movement in Abuja, commonly referred to as Labour House.
Ajaero voiced his concerns during the 2024 edition of the ASUU State of the Nation Conference, where he stated that he would likely still be in jail had he not been representing the NLC.
He criticized the current government for its attempts to silence dissenting voices opposing its neo-liberal policies.
This statement follows the police high command’s declaration on September 2 that Andrew Wynne, also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey, a British national, was wanted for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government.
The police stated that a comprehensive investigation had been launched into claims of foreign mercenaries and subversive elements attempting to destabilize Nigeria’s democratically elected government.
Shortly after this declaration, Ajaero was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) while en route to the United Kingdom for a conference. His detention sparked significant outrage, and he was subsequently released after several hours.
During the conference, Ajaero challenged the federal government to clarify how the British national managed to enter Nigeria, emphasizing the need for transparency regarding the situation. This marks Ajaero’s first public statement on the matter since his release from the DSS.
Ajaero revealed that he had chosen to remain silent for some time, anticipating that the government would eventually disclose the truth about the circumstances surrounding Wynne’s presence in the country.
