The denial follows allegations made by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday, claiming that armed operatives had stormed their office and seized several documents.
According to the NLC, the incident occurred at around 8:30 pm when security forces entered the Labour House.
“They broke in and ransacked the bookshop on the second floor, taking away hundreds of books and other publications,” stated Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations.
The NLC further alleged that the operatives were searching for “seditious materials” linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The union said it has yet to fully assess the extent of the items taken from its office.
However, in a response on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Department of State Services (DSS), Peter Afunanya, denied that the agency’s personnel were involved in the incident.
“Good morning, dear friends. Please note that the DSS did not conduct any operation at the NLC office in Abuja,” Afunanya said.
The NLC later condemned the raid and demanded the immediate withdrawal of security operatives from its headquarters.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns this new low in security operations in Nigeria. The armed security operatives did not present any legal documents authorizing them to invade the premises of the NLC at such an ungodly hour,” the NLC stated.
“Even during the darkest days of military rule, NLC secretariats were never invaded and ransacked by security agents. Today is indeed a very sad day for our democracy.”
**Press Release**
This evening, around 8:30 pm, long after the close of business, a group of heavily armed security operatives stormed the Labour House in the Central Business District, Abuja, which serves as the National Headquarters and Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The security operatives, including some from the Nigeria Police Force, others wearing black T-shirts possibly from the DSS, and some in plainclothes, raided the 10th floor of the NLC. They arrested the security guard on duty and forced him to the second floor, demanding keys to the offices. When he explained that he did not have the keys, they broke into the 10th floor and ransacked the bookshop on the second floor, seizing hundreds of books and other publications. The operatives claimed they were searching for “seditious materials” related to the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns in the strongest terms this blatant violation of security protocols. The armed operatives presented no legal warrant authorizing the invasion of the NLC premises at such an ungodly hour. Even in the dark days of military rule, the NLC secretariats were never subjected to such invasive actions by security agents. Today marks a deeply troubling day for our democracy.
Earlier this afternoon, the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) strongly condemned the excessive force used by security agents against protesters across the country and the unwarranted bloodshed that followed. The NEC also criticized the mass arrests of those perceived to be protest leaders and cautioned against the reckless labeling of the protests as ‘treason.’ What we did not anticipate was the invasion of Labour House by masked, heavily armed operatives just hours later.
In light of these events and the ominous implications for democratic rights, freedom of speech, and the right of citizens to peacefully protest, we urge the international community to take note of the deteriorating democratic principles in Nigeria, where there is a growing trend towards a police state. The recent escalation of state violence against the NLC leadership, including an attempted assassination of the NLC President by security operatives and thugs, confirms our fears of a state descending into enforced brutality. We are concerned that the situation may continue to deteriorate.
Given the current state of affairs, the Nigeria Labour Congress has instructed all staff to stay away from Labour House until we can confirm that no incriminating materials or harmful substances were planted in our offices by the invading operatives. To address our concerns, we demand an international inquiry into this traumatic invasion.
Finally, we demand the immediate withdrawal of the invading security forces from the premises of Labour House, Abuja. We also demand that all books and materials seized by the operatives be returned to their original locations by the end of work on August 8th, 2024. This demand is made in light of the illegality of the operation, as no court order justified the invasion, ransacking, and looting of our 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 stifling public discourse and constructive engagement, especially during these challenging times for Nigerians, will only exacerbate the situation. A stitch in time saves nine!
Comrade Benson Upah
Head, Media and Public Relations
Nigeria Labour Congress
August 7th, 2024