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NLC contradicts police’s account of raid on Labour union’s national secretariat

Sulaiman Umar
10 Aug, 2024
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The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) disputed on Saturday the police’s account of Wednesday’s raid on its headquarters in Abuja.

Contrary to the claim by the police that their operatives only visited a bookstore within the same building as the NLC to arrest a foreign national, the labour union said the invading police officers forced their way into its offices during the raid.

“The police claim to be conducting a nationwide investigation that comprises other countries, yet their so-called intelligence led them to our building well after office hours.

“If they were acting in good faith, why did their investigation take them specifically to the 10th floor, where the offices of the NLC President and General Secretary are located? This is nothing short of harassment under the guise of an investigation,” the NLC’s General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone on Saturday.

He insisted that the police intentionally raided the NLC offices but did not disclose if they went away with anything.

“You said you were looking for one man, but you went to the 10th floor and asked the security guard if you were at the Nigerian Labour Congress office. How does that sound? Does that sound like people who don’t know where they are going?” he said.

Mr Ugboaja condemned the police operation, describing it as “shameful”.

He told our reporter that the NLC leadership had scheduled an emergency meeting for 4 p.m. on Saturday to deliberate on the incident and chart a course of action.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) similarly denounced the conduct of the police officers in a statement on Friday as shameful while also calling it lawless.

“This act violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law and constitutional order that our democracy is founded upon,” the NHRC Executive Secretary, Anthony Ojukwu, said in the statement.

He demanded that “the authorities take immediate action to investigate this incident and ensure that those responsible are apprehended and punished accordingly”.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the raid occurred on Wednesday night, when security operatives, some dressed in plain clothes and others in black T-shirts, forced their way into the Labour House.

The complex is a 10-storey building that houses NLC’s national secretariat and several private businesses. The operatives reportedly ransacked a bookshop within the premises, seizing hundreds of books and other materials.

In a statement issued on Thursday, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah strongly condemned the raid, labelling it an unprecedented attack on the organisation.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns in the strongest terms this new low in security operations in our country,” Mr Upah said, adding, “Even during the darkest days of military rule, the NLC’s secretariats were never violated in this manner. Today is indeed a sad day for our democracy.”

On a visit to the premises on Thursday, a few hours after the raid, PREMIUM TIMES observed that NLC’s offices across three floors, including the 10th floor of the building, were deserted and locked.

The ransacked bookshop, reportedly owned by a foreign national engaged in publishing activities, remained closed, with its contents in disarray.

Police justify operation, NLC says defence feeble

In response to the accusations, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi defended the raid on Friday, explaining that it was part of an ongoing investigation into a criminal case involving a foreign suspect.

According to Mr Adejobi, the police traced the suspect to a shop within the building.

“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to clarify that a prime criminal suspect in an ongoing investigation was traced to a shop within the NLC building in the Central Business District of Abuja,” the statement read in part.

“Our officers, acting with proper legal authority, conducted a lawful operation at the location, which, unfortunately, turned out to be the NLC building. The operation was aimed solely at apprehending the suspect.”

He emphasised that the NLC was not the target of the operation.

“We reiterate that this operation had no connection with the NLC, its secretariat, or its staff.

“The focus of the raid was a rented shop within the building that the suspect was using as a front for criminal activities,” he stated.

The police also called for the NLC’s cooperation in the ongoing investigation, stressing the importance of bringing the suspect to justice.

“This individual poses a significant security threat not only to Nigeria but to other African nations,” Mr Adejobi said.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to upholding the rule of law, maintaining professionalism, and respecting human rights as we carry out our duties.”

He urged property owners to be vigilant and conduct thorough background checks on tenants to prevent similar incidents.

But Mr Ugboaja dismissed the police’s justification for the raid on Saturday, describing it as “a feeble attempt to cover up misconduct.”

The raid came amid a nationwide anti-government protest, tagged #EndBadGovernance, against rising inflation and high cost of living in the country.

Although, the NLC, one of the two largest umbrella bodies of workers’ associations in Nigeria, did not join the protest, but has voiced support for the demands of the protesters including the reversal of “ill-conceived policies that have led to the current economic crisis.”

The labour union also called on the government to seek a genuine dialogue with the protesters instead of trying to criminalise protests.

Culled from Premium Times Nigeria