The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on administrative bail. This release, which occurred late Monday night, is seen as an attempt to prevent a potential economic shutdown.

Omoyele Sowore confirmed Ajaero’s release through a post on his official X account shortly after midnight on Monday. Sowore described the release as a move by the government to ease tensions.

As of this report, the NLC has not officially confirmed Ajaero’s release. This follows the NLC’s warning that they would shut down the economy if Ajaero was not released by midnight Monday.

Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while traveling to the United Kingdom for official business. His arrest drew widespread condemnation, with both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress demanding his immediate release.

The NLC responded by instructing its affiliate unions to prepare for possible action if Ajaero was not freed. The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) even threatened to shut down the power grid if Ajaero was not released by Monday.

Dr. Muda Yusuf, Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), urged the DSS to avoid exacerbating Nigeria’s economic problems through Ajaero’s arrest. Yusuf suggested that dialogue would be a better approach to prevent further economic disruption.

NLC spokesperson Benson Upah warned that the DSS’s actions might spread beyond the NLC, potentially targeting media organizations and other sectors. He described Ajaero’s arrest as part of a broader attack by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

This warning came as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) office in Abuja was also raided by DSS operatives on the same day.