NLC Rejects Police Account Of Raid

The Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, have rejected the police explanation for the Wednesday night raid on Labour House, Abuja.
Osun Defender reports that the Nigeria Police Force on Friday said detectives traced a suspect under investigation to a shop in the Nigerian Labour Congress building.

According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the operation was to arrest a foreign national implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.

Adejobi said, “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 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, Abuja. Detectives, armed with the appropriate legal authority, conducted an operation at the location, which turned out to be the NLC building.

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“This well-coordinated, lawful operation was solely aimed at apprehending the prime suspect—a foreign national implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.”

Adejobi said the operation had no connection with the NLC secretariat or its leadership.

However, at the emergency National Executive Council, NEC, on Saturday, NLC leaders demanded full disclosure from the Federal Government on the police invasion.

Congress leaders at a virtual NEC meeting contended that the government’s explanation would determine the next line of action, describing the invasion as highly provocative.

One of the NEC members disclosed the details of the meeting to Sunday Vanguard.

He said, “NEC members were unanimous in rejecting the police explanation for the raid.  We believe the police are being economical with the truth.  None of the police explanations added up. The more you try to rationalize it, the more questions arise.

“The police in their explanation, claimed they did not know that the building is NLC’s headquarters. Lie number one: The police headquarters is very close to the Labour House. On several occasions, they have deployed their men to the Labour House during strikes, protests, rallies and so on.

“Lie number two: The police claimed they were looking for someone on the second floor of the Labour House. But they first came to the 10th floor where they abducted the NLC security guard. When they finished their illegal operations, they took the security guard to the second floor. What were the police looking for on the 10th floor?

“Lie number three: The bookshop on the second floor, known as ‘Iva Valley Bookshop’, has been in the Labour House for years, and the operator is a very well-known person even to the police because some policemen come there to buy books. Why is it now that the police realize that he is a criminal and dangerous to the state?

“Why would the police carry out their raid at such an hour when most workers had gone home? These are some of the questions begging for answers.
“We are demanding full explanation and disclosure from the government.

“The raid was very provocative. We will not act now, according to NEC resolutions; we will wait for the government to give a full explanation. Our reaction will be based on government’s full explanation.

“So, we totally reject the police explanation and demand full explanations from government for the raid.”