The Nigeria Labour Congress has revealed how security agencies raided its headquarters in the late hours of Wednesday, August 7, 2024.
THE WHISTLER had reported the raid in a post on X (formerly Twitter), wherw the unuon claimed it was being accused of sponsoring the protests, after its criticism of the handling of the recent nationwide hunger protests by the Bola Tinubu administration.
However, the Head, Media and Public Relations NLC Comrade Benson Upah told THE WHISTLER that 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) “At about 8.30 pm long after the close of work”.
According to the statement by Upah, “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 Congress condemned the operation, adding that the armed security operatives showed no legal document permitting them to invade the NLC premises at night.
In his words, “Even in the dark days of military rule, NLC secretariats were never invaded and ransacked by security agents. Today is indeed a very sad day for our democracy”.
The NLC called on the international community to take note of the deterioration of democratic principles in the bid to turn Nigeria into a Police State.
Subsequently, the Congress directed all its staff members to stay away from the Labour House for now until a thorough investigation is carried out to be sure that there are no incriminating materials or harmful substances dropped in the office by the invading operatives.
The Congress said, “To allay our fears, we demand an international inquiry into this very traumatic invasion.
“Finally, we demand the immediate withdrawal of the troop of invading security agents from the premises of the Labour House, Abuja. We also demand that all the books and materials carted away by the invading security operatives be returned unfailingly to where they were taken from before the end of work tomorrow, 8th August 2024.
“We make this demand given the illegality of the operation as there was no court order for the invasion, ransacking and looting of the publications.
“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.
“We warn that the asphyxiation of the public space and channels for constructive engagement, dialogue and negotiations in light of the excruciating difficulties that Nigerians are going through right now would only make matters worse. A stitch in time might still save nine.”