The invasion of the NLC secretariat ignites a heated clash between APC and opposition, raising tensions in political circles.
The Nigeria Labour Congress national headquarters’ raid in Abuja by security agents on Wednesday was condemned by opposition parties within the country, as of Thursday.
According to reports, the NLC office was raided by suspected DSS operatives who seized a number of documents. The men were said to be armed during the invasion.
The Labour House was reportedly broken into by operatives around 8:30 pm, according to congress.
According to Benson Upah, NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations, hundreds of books and publications were confiscated by the attackers who ransacked the bookshop located on the second floor.
“The team who invaded asserted that they were looking for sedition-related materials supposedly utilized during the #EndBad Governance demonstrations,” Upah stated.
Peter Afunanya, the DSS spokesman refuted the accusation.
The All Progressives Congress in power advised to exercise caution, stating that it is premature to hastily arrive at a decision and make unfounded accusations.
Labelling the action an attempt to stifle the labour union, Ibrahim Abdullahi, PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary expressed his perspective.
Yesterday’s events are unacceptable. Our party does not endorse such tactics. It is wrong for security agencies to raid state institutions, including the labour office, and extort them into supporting so-called protests. Nigerians have every right to express themselves freely without fear of intimidation or blackmail from any source – even the government itself cannot stifle their voices. As a result, citizens will continue taking to the streets until justice prevails in Nigeria.`
The PDP leader denounced the act, affirming that their party does not endorse it. They perceive it as another scheme to pressure people into quietness which solely emanates from the APC’s actions or verdicts.
The action was condemned by Yunusa Tanko, the chief representative of the presidential candidate for Labour Party in similar fashion.
“The behavior of the security agencies is entirely reprehensible,” Tanko expressed. “There’s no reason to enter the NLC office in a commando-like fashion when these are individuals who can be easily reached out to. If there were any suspicions, obtaining a warrant and approaching them would suffice; barging into their workspace unannounced for an investigation seems like unnecessary theatrics. Let it be known that these leaders deserve respect as union members rather than being treated like lawbreakers.”
Ladipo Johnson, the National Publicity Secretary of New Nigeria People’s Party also spoke out against the invasion. He raised concerns about a potential return to military rule and questioned whether authorities are willing to accept constructive criticism or protests – critical components of any functioning democracy. Additionally, he observed that President’s speech seemed to come from an assumption that Nigerians do not comprehend current policies or their impact on economic conditions; yet there was no indication that major policy changes were under consideration despite popular discontent with them.
In a statement personally signed by him on Thursday, Femi Falana (SAN), who is also a human rights lawyer, referred to the invasion as an undignified reflection of the oppressive era of military dictatorship.
It is truly unfortunate for true advocates of democracy to witness official actions in a democratic society that evoke memories of the heinous acts committed during oppressive periods under military rule.
According to Falana, under a democratic system, it is indisputably unlawful for security forces to raid the residences and workplaces of law-abiding individuals and companies.
In a statement made by its Executive Director, Ibuchukwu Ezike, the Civil Liberties Organisation characterized the invasion as “an egregious abuse of democratic principles.”
The CLO stated that the police must promptly return the NLC belongings and provide an apology for their blatant and atrocious behavior.
The ruling APC urged for calm and cautioned against casting blame over the purported invasion as it was deemed premature.
During a private conversation over the phone, Bala Ibrahim, who serves as the National Publicity Director for the party stated that one action can result in others. He emphasized that it would be premature to make an assumption about whether or not an action was wrong without obtaining details from those conducting investigations on what triggered such behavior.
The angle from which they approach is unknown. They could have been given information and, in their thorough investigation, may need to search premises for leads. Even the most savvy criminals inadvertently leave behind clues that can aid investigators. This highlights the negative aspect of crime.
At this point, it is premature to make a definitive judgement regarding the appropriateness of either action A or B. The investigators must first be fully briefed and gather information on the factors that influenced their decisions. It would not be wise to rush into forming political narratives based solely on emotional reactions and biases – doing so would result in an incomplete perspective which ultimately leads us astray from truthfulness.
