Security agents conducted a raid on the Labour House, located in the Central Business District of Abuja, on Wednesday night.
In an official statement, Benson Upah, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), disclosed that the “invading troops claimed they were searching for seditious materials allegedly used during the #EndBadGovernance protests.”
According to Upah, the raid on the NLC building in Abuja commenced at approximately 8:30 pm.
“Earlier today, the National Executive Council of the NLC took note of and vehemently condemned the excessive force employed by security agents against protesters in several parts of the country, resulting in unnecessary bloodshed,” the statement read.
“We also condemned the mass arrests of those perceived to have led the protests. The NEC further expressed its disapproval of the reckless use of the term ‘treason’ to describe the protests and called for moderation.
“What we did not anticipate, however, was the invasion of the Labour House by masked men and heavily armed security operatives just hours later.”
The statement further explained that the operatives apprehended the NLC guard on duty, “before escorting him to the second floor where they demanded the keys to the offices. When he informed them that he did not have the keys, they forced entry into the floor and ransacked the bookshop, seizing hundreds of books and other publications.”
The NLC has instructed its staff to avoid the building until it is assured that no incriminating materials or harmful substances were planted by the invading operatives.
The Labour Congress also expressed concern over the erosion of democratic principles in Nigeria, warning of attempts to transform the country into a police state.
