The Nigerian Labour Congress has demanded the immediate withdrawal of security operatives from the labour house.
The police according to NLC invaded the office without any court paper.
The intruders who were on t-shirt and hoods broke into the Labour house ransacked
the bookshop on the 2nd floor carting away hundreds of books and other
publications.
Labour in a statement said the invasion took place at about 8.30pm Wedbesday night, long after the close of work.
The statement reads, “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 muftiswooped on the 10thFloor of the NLC and arrested the
security man 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 claimedthat 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.
“Today is indeed a very sad day for our democracy.
Just this afternoon, the National Executive Council of the NLC took note
and vehemently condemned the high handed manner that 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 NECalso frowned atthe
reckless use of ‘treason’ to describe the protest and demanded for
moderation. What we did not see coming was the invasion of the Labour
Houseby 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 substancesdropped 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!
