THE NIGERIA Police Force said the August 7 raid on the Paschal Bafyau Labour House, the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the Central Business District of Abuja by its operatives was not targeted at the secretariat of the NLC.
National Record had reported how heavily armed security operatives in mufti and uniform invaded the Labour House, broke into and ransacked the Iva Valley Bookshop located on the second floor of the 11-storey building, carting away all the books from the shelves.
Following the raid, the NLC immediately issued a press statement Wednesday night, castigating the action.
In the statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Benson Upah, the NLC gave details of the invasion, and demanded for the “immediate withdrawal of a troop of armed security agents from the Labour House”.
“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. 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”, the NLC stated.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday in Abuja, the police said the raid was in connection to a criminal suspect traced to a rented shop in the building.
He said the raid followed an ongoing investigation where the prime suspect was traced to a shop within the Labour House in the Central Business District, Abuja.
The statement did not provide the name and other details of the alleged criminal.
“The Nigeria Police Force has noted a publication alleging that the NLC National Secretariat, known as the Labour House, located in the Central Business District, Abuja, was raided by the Police.
“The NLC had alleged in a press statement that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, along with some individuals in black T-shirts and others in plain clothes, raided the Labour House.
“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to clarify that a prime criminal suspect in an ongoing investigation was traced to a shop within the building in the Central Business District.
“Detectives, armed with the appropriate legal authority, conducted an operation at the location, which turned out to be the NLC building,” he said.
He said the operation was solely aimed at apprehending the prime suspect, who was a foreign national, implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.
According to him, the operation has no connection with the NLC, its Secretariat, staff or leadership.
He said the operation was targeted at a rented shop within the building used by the suspect as a front for his criminal activities in Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Police Force seeks the cooperation and support of the NLC leadership as we continue this investigation, which is vital to safeguarding our nation.
“The high-profile nature of the suspect poses a significant security threat to Nigeria and other African nations, making this investigation crucial for the safety of all involved, including the NLC.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to upholding the rule of law, maintaining professionalism, and respecting human rights in the discharge of our statutory duties,” he said.
Adejobi enjoined Nigerians to remain vigilant and conduct security profiling of individuals seeking to rent space within their premises. (NAN)
