The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned what it says was a security personnel raid on its offices in Abuja on Wednesday after employees had left the building, according to a statement released on Thursday morning by Comrade Benson Upah, Head of Media and Public Relations of NLC.
The Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and unidentified operatives wearing plain clothes, according to the NLC, carried out the invasion. They also allegedly took books that the security operatives claimed were used to publicise the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The statement reads: “The security team, without presenting any legal documents, apprehended the security operative on duty and forced him to the building’s second floor. Despite our security men’s responses to their questions about not having access to the office keys, the operatives proceeded to break into the premises and ransack the NLC’s bookshop.
“They seized hundreds of books and other publications, alleging that they were searching for seditious materials related to the #EndBadGovernance protests.”
The NLC condemned raid and described it as a grave violation of the liberties and rights of democracy.
The Congress highlighted that such incursions into its offices were unprecedented, even during the military administration.
According to the NLC, this move set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy and represented a new low in the country’s security operations.
The NLC’s National Executive Council had condemned the use of “treason” to characterise nonviolent protests and the oppressive methods employed by security personnel against demonstrators earlier that day.
“The timing of the raid, just hours after this condemnation, has further fuelled fears of state-sponsored repression,” the Congress said.
As a result, the NLC demanded an international investigation into the invasion, expressing worries about the security of their employees and possible evidence manipulation.
The congress gave its workers orders to avoid the Labour House until a comprehensive investigation determined that the intruding forces had not hidden any damaging or incriminating materials inside.
Additionally, it asked that all materials that had been taken be returned by August 8, 2024, the end of the workday, and that the security officers leave their property right away.
It emphasised that stifling free speech and participation in public affairs will only make the nation’s problems worse and threatened to consider going on strike if persecution persisted.
The statement reads: “This evening, at about 8.30 p.m., 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, 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 troops claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernanceProtests.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns in its entirety this new low in security operations in Nigeria. 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 National Executive Council of the NLC took note and vehemently condemned the high-handed manner in which security agents manhandled protesters in many parts of the country and the needless bloodshed that ensued. We also condemned the sweeping mass arrests of those perceived to have led the protest. The NEC also frowned at the reckless use of ‘treason’ to describe the protest and demanded moderation. What we did not see coming was the invasion of the Labour House by masked and heavily armed security operatives hours later.
“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.
“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, August 8, 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!”
