Heavily armed security personnel stormed and raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Abuja on Thursday, the union has said.
The union said the operatives stormed the Labour House, as its headquarters is called, around 8:30 pm.
“They broke in and ransacked the bookshop on the 2nd floor carting away hundreds of books and other publications,” read a statement by the NLC’s head of Media and Public Relations, Benson Upah.
“The invading troop claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGoveranance Protests,” the statement noted.
The NLC is not immediately able to ascertain all the things taken away from its offices.
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The raid, which was carried out six days after the #EndBadGovernance protests started, has been blasted by the union. The NLC also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the security operatives from its headquarters.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns in its entirety this new low in security operations in Nigeria. The armed security operatives showed no legal document permitting them to invade the premises of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the ungodly hours of the night,” the NLC said.
“Even in the dark days of military rule, NLC secretariats were never invaded and ransacked by security agents. Today is indeed a very sad day for our democracy,” it added.
The union further warned that, if such a dastardly act should persist, it will call on its members to stay at home.
“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,” the statement added.
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