Joe Ajaero Questioned by Nigerian Police Over Allegations of Terrorism Financing and Other Crimes

Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was interrogated by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigerian Police over allegations including criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.

The questioning, which took place on August 20 at the Police headquarters, delved into the details of these serious accusations and Ajaero’s defense.

Ajaero was initially invited for questioning on August 19 after being accused of involvement in these alleged criminal activities.

The interrogation was attended by several notable human rights activists, including Femi Falana, SAN, Maxwell Opara, Deji Adeyanju, along with officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). The session was brief, lasting less than 30 minutes.

The police inquiry centered on the operator of the Iva Valley Bookshop, located on the second floor of the Labour House, which was purportedly linked to the alleged criminal activities.

Ajaero, however, denied any connection between himself, the NLC, and the suspect. He emphasized that their relationship was merely that of a landlord and tenant, and clarified that the suspect had no consulting role with the NLC nor any formal communication with the organization.

A source speaking to Vanguard disclosed, “At one point, Comrade Ajaero became visibly frustrated because the interrogators repeatedly addressed him by his name, Joseph Ajaero, without acknowledging his official position as NLC President.

“Typically, the Police should have invited the NLC President through proper channels rather than a formal letter. Their approach seemed to have ulterior motives. Overall, the interaction resembled a friendly discussion and lasted less than 30 minutes.”