Joe Ajero, president of Nigeria’s largest labour federation, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was arrested on Monday by the state security service, according to the union. The charges against him have not yet been disclosed.
Ajero’s arrest comes just days after he criticized the government’s recent 39% hike in gasoline prices, threatening to organize a strike if the increase wasn’t reversed. Rising fuel prices have already sparked cost-of-living protests in early August.
The NLC reported that Ajero was detained by the Department of State Security (DSS) at the Abuja airport while attempting to travel to Britain for union-related business. The DSS has yet to comment on the arrest.
Analysts warn that the latest fuel price increase—essential for powering small businesses and households—could intensify inflation, which is already at double-digit levels, worsening economic conditions.
