Officials and members of staff of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Thursday deserted their offices after security operatives said to be of the State Security Service (SSS) reportedly raided its national secretariat Wednesday night.
The NLC president, Joe Ajaero, had Thursday stated that the “Pascal Bafyau Labour House” national secretariat in Abuja was invaded by armed security operatives.
Ajaero, in a message sent to the group WhatsApp platform of Labour Correspondents, said the incident occurred at about 9 p.m.
“Comrades, armed security men, both in uniform and mufti, just invaded the Labour House in their numbers and were at the 10th Floor and 2nd Floor,” he stated.
The NLC General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, said in an interview that the security operatives came to the Labour House shortly after the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting Wednesday.
He alleged that the 10th floor, where his office and that of the president are located, were the targets of the operatives.
In a reaction, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) roundly condemned the alleged invasion of the Labour House.
A statement signed by the president, Comrade Festus Osifo, said “The reported confiscation of books from the NLC library, allegedly in search of “End Bad Governance” materials, is a troubling act that raises serious concerns about the violation of fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and expression.
“This action represents an overreach by security forces and poses a threat to the democratic principles that allow for peaceful dissent and free expression. We consider this invasion a direct attack on the rights of Nigerian citizens to freely express their views and to access information.”
Meanwhile, the State Security Service (SSS) Thursday said it was not involved in the security raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress on Wednesday night.
In a short statement posted on his X handle, the SSS spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya said it did not “carry out any operation at the NLC office in Abuja.”
| The police authority did not speak on the raid as of the time of this report. |