By Seyi Babalola
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed concern about the purported raid of its headquarters by security agencies.
It demanded the immediate removal of federal government armed security officers from the Labour House.
The labour union, in a statement signed by Comrade Benson Upah, Head, Media, and Public Relations, and uploaded on its official X account on Wednesday, said that a squad of highly armed security officers attacked the Labour House in Abuja’s Central Business District.
According to Dailypost, the building serves as the National Headquarters and Secretariat of the NLC.
NLC’s statement claimed that 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 10-floor of the building 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 2d 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,” it said.
The NLC condemned the attack which it described as the new low in security operations in Nigeria.
It said, “The armed security operatives showed no legal document permitting them to invade the premises of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the ungodly hours of the night.
“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 labour said that having condemned government’s actions against EndBadGovernance protesters, what it did not see coming was the invasion of its house by masked and heavily armed security operatives.
“In the light of the foregoing and the ominous sign it portends for democratic rights, freedom of speech and association and the unimpeachable right of citizens to protest peacefully on any issue they feel strongly about, we call on the international community to take note of the deterioration of democratic principles in the bid to turn Nigeria
into a Police State.
“Given the experience of the leadership of the NLC in recent times at the receiving end of the naked brute force of the state, especially the near daylight assassination of the NLC President by security operatives and thugs, our fears of a Nigerian state that is descending into enforced brutality are well founded.
“We fear that the situation might deteriorate. Given the state of things, the Nigeria Labour Congress has directed all its staff to stay away from the Labour House for now until we are certain that there are no incriminating materials or harmful substances dropped in our offices by the invading operatives. In order 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 should 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,” it added.
