O pposition parties across Nigeria have sharply criticized the raid on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) national headquarters in Abuja by security agents, reportedly from the Department of State Services (DSS). The raid occurred on Wednesday night, with armed men allegedly breaking into the Labour House and confiscating documents and books.
According to Benson Upah, NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations, the security operatives claimed they were searching for seditious materials linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests. The raid involved ransacking the bookshop on the second floor and seizing hundreds of publications.
DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya has denied any involvement, stating, “The Service (DSS) did not carry out any operation at the NLC office in Abuja.”
Opposition leaders have condemned the action. Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the raid as an attempt to suppress the labour union and a further effort to silence dissent. He said, “It is condemnable. Security agencies shouldn’t be deployed to ransack institutions of the state, like the labour office, under the pretense of investigating protests.”
Yunusa Tanko, spokesperson for the Labour Party presidential candidate, also criticized the raid, arguing that such actions were unnecessary and showed a lack of respect for the union’s leadership. “The action of the security agencies is totally condemnable,” Tanko said. “These are respected union leaders, not criminals.”
Ladipo Johnson, National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, questioned whether the raid was a return to authoritarian practices reminiscent of the military era. He expressed concern about the government's tolerance for criticism and protests.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) labeled the invasion a “shameful reminder” of military dictatorship days, calling it an illegal act under a democratic government. “It is regrettable that such official actions in a democratic dispensation could be reminiscent of military dictatorship atrocities,” Falana stated.
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) also condemned the raid, describing it as “an egregious abuse of democratic principles” and demanding the return of the seized property and an apology from the authorities.
In response, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) urged for restraint, arguing that it was premature to cast blame without understanding the full context of the investigation. Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s National Publicity Director, emphasized the need for a thorough investigation before jumping to conclusions.
0 Comments