Heavily armed security operatives, on Wednesday night, raided the Labour House, the national headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) located at the Central Area in Abuja, and carted away some documents.
According to the NLC’s Head, Information and Public Affairs, Comrade Benson Upah, the raid began at about 8:30pm.
The security personnel, comprising members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), individuals in black tee-shirts presumed to be from the Department of State Services (DSS), and others in plain clothes, descended on the 10th Floor of the imposing Labour House building, arresting the security officer on duty and coercing him to the second floor.
Unable to procure keys to the NLC offices from the security officer, the NLC spokesperson said the security operatives forcibly broke into the second floor, ransacking the bookshop and seizing hundreds of books and other publications.
Upah disclosed that the operatives alleged that they were searching for seditious materials linked to the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
The Labour, in a statement, strongly condemned the raid, stating the absence of any legal documentation authorising the invasion on its facility by the security operatives.
The NLC pointed out that such actions were unprecedented, even during Nigeria’s military rule, and marked a significant regression in the nation’s democratic principles.
LEADERSHIP recall that earlier in the day, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC had condemned the excessive force used by security agents against protesters across the country, as well as the mass arrests of perceived protest leaders.
The Council had also criticised the branding of the protests as ‘treason’ and called for moderation.
The NLC has already directed its staff to avoid the Labour House on Thursday until it is certain that no incriminating or harmful materials were planted by the invading operatives.
The Congress also called for an international inquiry into the raid and demanded the immediate withdrawal of security forces from its premises, as well as the return of all confiscated materials by the end of work on Thursday, August 8, 2024.
Upah explained, “This evening at about 8.30pm long after the close of work, a troop of heavily armed security operatives invaded the Labour House, Central Business District, Abuja which serves as the National Headquarters and Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“The security operatives, some from the Nigeria Police Force, some wearing black tee-shirts presumably from the Department of State Services (DSS), and others on outright mufti swooped on the 10th Floor of the NLC and arrested the security operative on duty and then commandeered him to the second floor where he was asked to produce the keys to the offices.
“When he told them that he had no such keys on him, they broke into the floor and ransacked the bookshop on the 2nd floor carting away hundreds of books and other publications. The invading troop claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGoveranance Protests.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns in its entirety this new low in security operations in Nigeria.
“If this harassment continues, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not hesitate to call on its members to stay home until their safety and security are assured,” he added.
