Security operatives have raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
It was gathered that security operatives raided the NLC secretariat on Wednesday night in search of seditious materials used for the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest.
Speaking on the incident via a statement issued by its spokesperson, Comrade Benson Upah, on Thursday, August 8, 2024, the NLC called on the international community to launch an inquiry into the alleged invasion of its premises by the security operatives without a court order.
The NLC also expressed fears that incriminating materials or harmful substances may have been dropped during the operation, saying no member of staff was around when the raid was carried out.
While directing its staff to keep off the premises, the NLC equally demanded immediate withdrawal of the security operatives at its headquarters, and a return of all books and materials allegedly carted away by the officers.
The union stated: “This evening (Wednesday) 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 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.
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“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. 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.
“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 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.”
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