News
DSS succumbs to pressure, releases NLC President before midnight
The Department of State Services has granted administrative bail to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.
He was released a few minutes before the 12midnight ultimatum issued by the organised labour.
Pro-democracy activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, announced his release in a tweet on Monday night.
“BREAKING: The fascist regime of @officialABAT has released the @NLCHeadquarters President Joe Ajaero from @OfficialDSSNG custody on bail,” he wrote on X.com.
The Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and Social Democratic Party on Monday criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration following the arrest of Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the raid on the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project’s Abuja office by the Department of State Services.
Ajaero was arrested on Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.
The NLC president was billed to attend the Trade Union Congress conference in London, which begins today.
In response to its president’s arrest, the NLC held a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in Abuja on Monday, demanding Ajaero’s immediate release and instructing all chapters to prepare for a potential nationwide strike.
The NLC’s National Administrative Council in a statement issued after its meeting by Adeyanju Adewale, NLC’s deputy president, described the detention as “brazen and illegal” and an “affront to the rights of workers and democratic principles.”
The council demanded Ajaero’s release by 12 midnight on Monday and also called for the reversal of the recent petrol price hike to N617/Litre.
The NLC disclosed that it had placed its affiliates, state councils, and civil society allies on red alert, warning that it would not stand by while workers’ rights were trampled upon.
The congress reaffirmed its commitment to defending workers’ rights and opposing oppression, urging the government to reverse its “dangerous trend” and implement the new National Minimum Wage.
The communiqué read, “The National Administrative Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress convened an emergency meeting today to address the alarming and unlawful arrest and detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, by agents of the Nigerian Government.
“Comrade Ajaero was arrested and detained at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while en-route to the United Kingdom, where he was scheduled to attend and address the Congress of the Trade Union Congress of Britain, representing Nigerian workers in critical discussions on workers’ rights and social justice.
“After extensive deliberation, the NAC resolved as follows: The Council unequivocally condemns the brazen and illegal detention of Comrade Joe Ajaero by the Nigerian state without any legal warrant or justification. The NLC notes with grave concern that Comrade Ajaero was lawfully discharging his duties to represent Nigerian workers and had not committed any offense warranting such action.
“His detention is an affront to the rights of workers and the democratic principles of freedom of movement and expression.
“The NLC demands the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Joe Ajaero before 12 midnight today. The Council reiterates that Joe Ajaero is not a fugitive or a criminal, and his detention is an act of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent and stifling the labour movement’s voice in Nigeria. NAC also demands the immediate reversal of the current hike in the price of petrol to N617/litre.
“The congress places all its affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and the Nigerian populace on red alert. The detention of Comrade Ajaero is an attack not just on the NLC leadership but on the rights of all workers and citizens to organize, protest, and express themselves freely. The NLC will not stand by while these rights are trampled upon. This provocation is another attempt by the State to scuttle the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage.”
Speaking earlier, Benson Upah, Head of Public Relations for the NLC, stated that Ajaero was taken by state agents without a legal warrant or formal documentation, adding that his current location and health status remained unknown.
Reacting to the development, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, called for caution, stating that Nigeria has now entered a full-blown dictatorship under President Tinubu.
Ologunagba urged the Federal Government to tackle the underlying issues like hunger, rather than targeting individuals who didn’t support their policies.
He stated “There is a need for caution. There was a protest in this country, and the government did nothing. You arrest some people, label them terrorists, and charge them to court. You claim some individuals are sponsors of the protest.
“We know who sponsored the protest: it is hunger. The President and his administration should address hunger, and there will be no problem. Let your draconian policies that bring people to their knees be re-evaluated. With school resuming, we understand the struggles of those with pupils in school.
“You wake up one morning unable to plan because the government is so insensitive and irresponsible, implementing policies that destroy people’s plans and their pursuit of happiness without consulting the National Assembly.
“Why does the government exist? For the welfare and security of the people. Currently, there is no welfare or security. This is breaking news. We need to see and understand what is happening. The government should address the country’s welfare challenges to prevent protests.”
The PDP Publicity Secretary expressed discontent with President Tinubu for focusing primarily on his comfort.
Ologunagba added, “Nobody really cares who the president is if the government provides the opportunity to pursue our goals and aspirations. As a party, we will investigate this breaking news and respond accordingly. If the government is about welfare and the people are suffering, it is reasonable to review these policies.
“You must show leadership by saying, ‘Okay, you are telling me to tighten my belt while you are buying a new belt.’ This is a country that cannot pay N70,000 minimum wage but can purchase a N150 plane. The President seems to be testing it, flying everywhere. This is a country where N21bn was spent to renovate the Vice President’s house, yet according to them, there is no money.”
The PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, remarked that Tinubu’s administration was sliding into ‘’a hotbed of corruption and tyranny.’’
He stated, “Tinubu’s administration is not sliding into authoritarianism, we are already in a full-blown dictatorship.
“The APC and indeed the Tinubu-led government have finally degenerated into a cesspool of corrupt and tyrannical monsters. The contraption is no longer pretentious about its anti-democratic posture, a development we are not surprised about because of the background and disposition of the elements.”
The National Publicity Secretary of NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, described Ajaero’s arrest as shocking.
Johnson, however, disclosed that the Tinubu administration must urgently explain why the Labour leader was whisked away to douse the tension.
He said, “We need to wait to find out why he was arrested. That way, we can have an informed opinion. Otherwise, people will start believing that it is some form of authoritarianism we are seeing.
“But as a legal practitioner, I will wait to officially hear the reasons they think it is necessary to pick Ajaero in the manner they did.”
SDP national chairman Shehu Gabam, who labelled the operation as “Gestapo-like”, stated that the nation was descending into gangsterism.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Gabam warned that this approach will not benefit the country.
He stated “What happened symbolizes the nation jumping into gangsterism and Gestapo-like operations against those who disagree with the government. I want to caution the government to be extremely careful.
“The composition of the nation will not support Gestapo-like operations simply because there are differing opinions on how the government is run. The right of citizens to express their dissatisfaction with government policies and programs is constitutionally protected. The government should learn from other systems that have used similar tactics and ended up collapsing.
“Given the current level of consciousness in Nigeria, as well as the high levels of poverty, insecurity, hunger, and unemployment, the leadership must be extremely careful not to provoke the system further. You cannot target institutions simply because they disagree with you. If you have any evidence, you should find a decent way to arrest or interrogate people. Subjecting them to appear as if they are hiding criminals is unacceptable.
“It reflects poorly on the quality of leadership and responsibility. My advice to this government is to apply extreme caution in how they handle those who disagree with them. This approach will not benefit the country.
“It will not create an environment that protects our cherished institutions and democracy, which we have chosen by choice, not imposition. The government must be extremely cautious and sensitive in its operations.”
Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company (IVM) has dismissed as false and misleading reports claiming that its Founder and Chairman, Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, CON, is dead, insisting that the renowned industrialist is alive and actively leading the company.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company’s management described the report as baseless and urged the public to disregard it and rely only on information released through IVM’s official communication channels.
“We wish to unequivocally state that this claim is false, misleading and entirely without factual basis. Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, CON, is alive, well and continues to provide leadership as the Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd.,” the statement said.
The company explained that the false report appeared to have mistaken its chairman for another individual with the same name, noting that the distinction had previously been clarified by independent fact-checking organisations.
“The publication appears to have confused our Chairman with another individual who bore the same name but was an entirely different person,” it stated.
IVM urged customers, business partners, dealers, financial institutions, government agencies and the general public to ignore the publication.
The company also disclosed that it had commenced legal action against the publisher, demanding an immediate retraction, a public apology and an end to the circulation of the false report.
“Our legal representatives have formally written to the publisher demanding an immediate retraction, a public apology and the cessation of the dissemination of the false information. We remain committed to pursuing all lawful measures necessary to protect the reputation of our Chairman and safeguard the integrity of our Company,” it added.
Reaffirming its commitment to Nigeria’s industrial development, IVM said it remains focused on producing world-class vehicles and delivering quality products and services despite the misinformation.
The company also thanked Nigerians, customers and business partners for their continued support and confidence, describing their trust as the foundation of its growth and success.
Governors elected under The All Progressives Congress (APC) have reviewed outcome of the party’s primaries and resolved to meet with Prof Netanwe Yilwatda, Chairman of the party, and other leaders.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), said the resolution was reached at the forum’s meeting which ended at the early hours of Tuesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PGF is an umbrella body of all serving APC governors.
Uzodimma while addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting said that the governors also resolved to work to ensure that Nigerians were better off.
He said that the meeting reviewed the outcome of the party’s primaries across the federation, the recent Ekiti governorship election and various by elections in which the APC came out in ”flying colours”.
“We have resolved to work towards solving the problems and challenges facing our democratic space and ensuring that our people are better off.
“We also resolved to meet with the leadership of the party to plan the coming 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections. We are ready and good to go,” he said.
The PGF chairman added that the forum further resolved to continue to work with the APC leadership to support and strengthen it and prepare it for future elections.
The meeting was attended by governors of Ekiti, Zamfara, Taraba, Lagos, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom and Borno States among others.(NAN)
One of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from his community, while the second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the court registrar pending the determination of the case.
After granting the application, Justice Umar handed Sowore over to his lawyers and adjourned further proceedings until Monday, July 6, when the defendant is expected to open his defence.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services on allegations bordering on cybercrime, following social media posts in which he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”
He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The court revoked Sowore’s bail on June 16 and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to attend proceedings.
Following the revocation of his bail, Sowore challenged the bench warrant and sought the trial judge’s recusal.
The application was dismissed, after which he was remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his fresh bail application.
Delivering Tuesday’s ruling, Justice Umar restored the defendant’s bail on fresh terms, requiring him to meet the N200 million bail bond and fulfil the conditions attached before regaining his freedom.
Reacting shortly after the ruling, Sowore described the bail conditions as part of the authorities’ continued efforts against him but insisted they would not deter his movement.
He said, “There is no bus on earth that can stop this revolution. We warned them, but they would not listen. But now, it appears a little bit of common sense is returning to them, and as a result, I was granted bail, requiring a traditional ruler, somebody with property in Abuja, and N200m and my international passport.
“They have always been after the passport. So nobody can come after our movement. Nobody can stop the movement. Nobody can stop the idea whose time has come.
“What I want to tell Nigerians is that it is not about my freedom; it is about the liberation of the Nigerian people.”
The United States has described a recent counterterrorism operation in Nigeria as one of its most significant successes in the fight against jihadist groups, recovering what it calls the largest cache of enemy electronic equipment since the September 11, 2001 attacks.Politics
Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the U.S. National Security Council, made the disclosure in an interview with PragerU CEO Marissa Streit.
Gorka stated that U.S. operatives, in coordination with Nigerian forces, conducted a raid approximately three weeks ago that neutralised 199 jihadists in a single operation.
“That is the biggest neutralisation of enemy killed in action since September 11. Two hundred and ninety-nine jihadists who will not harm Americans again,” Gorka said.
He added that the operation yielded an intelligence haul so substantial that an additional aircraft was required to transport the recovered electronic materials.
“We needed an extra plane to bring home all the electronic material that we captured in those camps. The haul was three times bigger than any enemy electronics haul since 9/11,” he said.
According to Gorka, the recovered materials are being analysed for intelligence on Islamic State (ISIS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) communication networks, financing, operational planning and international links.
Speaking on how the operation was authorised, Gorka said President Donald Trump approved the mission after being briefed on the threat posed by the targeted militants.
“We told the President, this man has killed Americans and is planning to kill Americans. He ticked the ‘go box’ on the operational orders we had in front of him.”
Gorka also said Africa has increasingly become a focus for ISIS because of vast ungoverned territories where extremist groups can regroup after defeats elsewhere.
He further disclosed that the administration’s current counterterrorism campaign has resulted in the neutralisation of more than 1,000 jihadists globally.
Details of the specific location and exact date of the raid were not publicly specified, although reports have linked it to operations in Borno State targeting ISWAP elements, including the reported elimination of a high-value target.
The announcement underscores ongoing U.S.-Nigeria security cooperation against terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel. Nigerian and U.S. forces have collaborated on intelligence sharing, training and equipment support in efforts to combat Boko Haram and ISWAP.Demographics
No independent verification of the casualty figures or the scale of the intelligence recovered had been released by Nigerian authorities as of the time of reporting.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a sweeping reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first comprehensive restructuring of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago.
The landmark reforms, approved during Monday’s FEC meeting in Abuja, are aimed at transforming the NYSC into a skills-driven, productivity-focused institution that aligns with the Federal Government’s economic development agenda.
One of the most significant changes is the restructuring of the scheme’s leadership, with the NYSC to be headed by a civilian for the first time, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members across the country.
To give legal effect to the reforms, the Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations.
Announcing the development on Monday, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the decision as the first holistic review of the NYSC since its creation in 1973.
“We are transforming the Scheme into a platform that not only unites Nigeria but also equips our young people with the skills, experience and opportunities they need to thrive in a fast-changing world,” the minister said.
According to Olawande, the reforms are designed to reposition the NYSC as “a skills-driven, productivity-focused and youth-empowering institution” in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
The approved reforms include a technology-driven call-up process, risk-sensitive deployment to enhance the safety of corps members, a redesigned six-week orientation programme with greater emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career tracks, as well as skills-based primary assignments aligned with graduates’ academic backgrounds and career aspirations.
Other changes include modern governance with civilian operational leadership, improved orientation camp standards through a national grading and certification system, a new graduation ceremony to replace the traditional Passing Out Parade, and a redesigned NYSC uniform aimed at promoting professionalism and national pride.
Olawande disclosed that the reform process began in 2025 following extensive consultations involving the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
“This is more than a reform of an institution. It is an investment in Nigeria’s greatest asset—our young people. The future of the NYSC begins now, and it is brighter, more relevant and more impactful than ever,” he added.
Established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War, the NYSC was created to foster national unity by deploying graduates to states outside their regions of origin for one year of compulsory national service.
The latest reforms represent the most far-reaching changes in the history of the scheme, with the Federal Government saying they will make the NYSC more relevant to Nigeria’s evolving economic and youth development priorities.
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