Heavily armed security forces raided the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja on Thursday evening, the union reported. According to the NLC, the operatives, who arrived at Labour House around 8:30 pm, broke into the building and searched the bookshop on the 2nd floor, seizing hundreds of books and publications.

Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations, stated that the security personnel claimed they were searching for seditious materials related to the #EndBadGovernance protests. The NLC has not yet been able to fully assess what was taken during the raid, which occurred six days after the protests began.

The NLC condemned the raid, calling it a significant decline in the conduct of security operations in Nigeria. The union demanded the immediate withdrawal of the security forces from its premises, emphasizing that the operatives had no legal warrant for the invasion, which took place late at night. The NLC noted that even during the darkest periods of military rule, its secretariats were never subjected to such treatment.

In a press release, the NLC highlighted that just earlier in the day, its National Executive Council had condemned the excessive force used by security agents against protesters across the country and the mass arrests of perceived protest leaders. The council also expressed concern over the reckless use of the term "treason" to describe the protests. The raid on Labour House later that night was unexpected.

The NLC warned that this incident signals a dangerous erosion of democratic rights, including freedom of speech and peaceful protest, and called on the international community to take note of Nigeria's slide toward becoming a police state. The union also expressed fears that the situation could worsen, especially given recent experiences of violent state repression, including an attempted assassination of the NLC President.

As a precaution, the NLC has instructed its staff to stay away from Labour House until it can ensure that no incriminating materials or harmful substances were planted by the security forces. The union is demanding an international investigation into the raid and has called for the immediate return of all seized materials. If the harassment continues, the NLC warned it may call on its members to stay home until their safety is guaranteed.

Comrade Benson Upah
Head, Media and Public Relations
Nigeria Labour Congress
7th August 2024