President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajero, who was arrested in the early hours of yesterday by the Department of State Service (DSS), was released late last night on bail, THISDAY News online reports.

Although a litany of condemnations had trailed the labour leader’s arrest over yet-to-be disclosed offences as well as the invasion of the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights And Accountability Project (SERAP), allegedly by the DSS, Ajaero was released at exactly 11:05 last night, according to an Assistant Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Chris Onyeka, who confirmed the development to THISDAY in a telephone conversation.

The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had asked the federal government to release Ajaero immediately and unconditionally, latest by midnight.

The Global rights group, Amnesty International and the United Action Front of Civil Society, had also condemned the arrest and detention of Ajaero, by the DSS, saying President Bola Tinubu was setting a new record of impunity.

But Air Peace Airlines Limited had denied any involvement in the arrest of the labour leader, contrary to speculations.

Ajaero was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and prevented from boarding his flight to attend a scheduled meeting of the International Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom.

There are speculations that his arrest was not unconnected with his refusal to honour invitations of the undercover police, as well as a petition against him by an airline operator.

The Service had reiterated its new public communication policy of covertness and the likelihood of studied silence over certain matters.

To this end, all efforts to get the service to confirm the viral publication of the arrest of the labour leader as well as the offences for which he was nabbed, proved abortive as calls and emails to the service were ignored.

But an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Maxwell Okpara, yesterday, said the DSS confirmed to him and two others that Ajaero, was in their custody, but denied them access to him.

Okpara, who was a guest at AIT programme, “Democracy Today,” noted that the operatives of the service simply asked them to go, stating that “any time they are ready for us  they will invite us."

It was reported that Ajaero was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom for an official assignment when he was picked up by the DSS personnel.

Some viral publications reported that his arrest on his way to attend a conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK, followed his refusal to honour DSS, and National Intelligence Agency (NIA), an invitation for questioning over his link to the British citizen, Andrew Wynne, who was alleged to be sponsoring terrorism and plotting a regime change in Nigeria.

Another reason adduced in the viral publication was his failure to honour the invitation of the undercover police, over an alleged case of extortion. There was also the issue of an alleged petition by Air Peace Airlines against the labour leader.