NLC demands apology from Nigerian government, police for raid on secretariat

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded a public apology from the federal government and the police authorities for the recent invasion of its headquarters in Abuja by police operatives.

The union rejected police’s explanation for the raid on its secretariat on Wednesday, describing it as an afterthought.

NLC condemned the police’s conduct in a communique issued on Sunday following an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) held on Saturday to deliberate on the incident.

The labour union said the invasion of its headquarters was deliberate and provocative action by the government.

“The NEC consequently demands apology from the police and the federal Government on this once again unwarranted invasion and desecration of the headquarters of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),” read the communique signed by the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, and shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.

Mr Ajaero said while the union would exercise restraint in the face of provocation, “the response of the government to our queries will determine what our next line of action will be in the coming days.”

The Labour union rejected the police’s explanation as “an afterthought and an attempt to cover the hidden motives behind such action as it raises more questions than answers.”

NLC’s General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, earlier disputed the police’s account in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday. He also gave our reporter a heads-up about the NLC’s NEC meeting that was later held on Saturday.

Contrary to the claim by the police that their operatives only visited a bookstore within the same building as the NLC to arrest a foreign national, Mr Ugbhoaja said the invading police officers forced their way into its offices during the raid.

In the NLC’s communique which also touched on the arrests and killing of protesters during the just-ended nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests, Mr Ajaero said the raid was a deliberate provocation of the union by the government.

“The NEC-in-session rejects outrightly the explanation offered by the Police as the reason for the invasion,” the communique stated.

It said there has been “a pattern of intimidation, brutality, and deceit against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Nigerian people” since the coming on board of President Bola Tinubu’s administration last year.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) similarly denounced the conduct of the police officers in a statement on Friday as shameful while also calling it lawless.

The communique also touched on the arrest and killing of protesters during the just-ended #EndBadGovernance protests, which began on 1 August in many parts of the country.

“The NEC once again condemns the killing of innocent protesters who were peacefully expressing their grievances against the harsh policies of the government. We demand an immediate cessation of these attacks and call on the government to declare a National Day of Mourning for those who lost their lives and properties during the protests,” the union said.

It also demanded an immediate release of detainees and trade unionists “arrested either in their homes or relaxation joints”.

“This is the only way the Government can show good faith and begin the healing of the nation,” said the union, which is one of the two largest umbrella bodies of workers’ associations in Nigeria.

….More details later