The Police has explained why its operatives raided an office inside the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), popularly known as Labour House, in the late hours of Wednesday, August. 7.
The raid has attracted condemnations from the NLC, other unions, civil society groups as well as from the Amnesty International in Nigeria.
In a statement by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer (PPRO) late yesterday, (Friday, August 9), the police said the raid on Labour House in Abuja by its operatives was not targeted at the secretariat of the NLC, explaining that it was in connection with an ongoing investigation of a criminal suspect traced to a rented shop in the building.
“The Nigeria Police Force has noted a publication alleging that the NLC National Secretariat, known as the Labour House, located in the Central Business District, Abuja, was raided by the Police.
“The NLC had alleged in a press statement that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, along with some individuals in black T-shirts and others in plain clothes, raided the Labour House.
“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to clarify that a prime criminal suspect in an ongoing investigation was traced to a shop within the building in the Central Business District.
“Detectives, armed with the appropriate legal authority, conducted an operation at the location, which turned out to be the NLC building,” he said.
He said the operation was solely aimed at apprehending the prime suspect, who was a foreign national, implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.
According to him, the operation has no connection with the NLC, its Secretariat, staff or leadership but was targeted at a rented shop within the building used by the suspect as a front for his criminal activities in Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Police Force seeks the cooperation and support of the NLC leadership as we continue this investigation, which is vital to safeguarding our nation.
“The high-profile nature of the suspect poses a significant security threat to Nigeria and other African nations, making this investigation crucial for the safety of all involved, including the NLC.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to upholding the rule of law, maintaining professionalism, and respecting human rights in the discharge of our statutory duties,” he said.
Adejobi enjoined Nigerians to remain vigilant and conduct security profiling of individuals seeking to rent space within their premises.
However, Adejobi’s statement seems to be in variance with an earlier one by the NLC which seemed to suggest that, indeed, it was NLC’s offices that were targeted in the raid.
In a statement issued by Benson Upah, its spokesman, threatening to direct workers to down tools if the masterminds of the raid were not fished out and sanctioned, the NLC recalled what happened that Wednesday, August 7 night at about 8.30:
“This evening (Wednesday, August 7) at about 8.30pm, 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).
“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.
“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.”
