Opposition parties across Nigeria have expressed strong condemnation following the raid on the national headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja by security agents on Wednesday night. The armed men, reportedly from the Department of State Services (DSS), allegedly stormed the Labour House at around 8:30 p.m., seizing several documents in what many are decrying as an act of state intimidation.
According to Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations, the operatives ransacked the building’s second-floor bookshop, confiscating hundreds of books and other publications. “The invading team claimed that they were searching for seditious materials allegedly used during the #EndBadGovernance protests,” Upah revealed.
However, the DSS swiftly denied any involvement in the incident. Spokesman Peter Afunanya said, “Please, kindly note that the Service (DSS) did not carry out any operation at the NLC office in Abuja.”
The raid has ignited a wave of criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the raid as an attempt to silence the labour movement. Ibrahim Abdullahi, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, stated, “Security agencies shouldn’t be deployed to go to institutions of the state, like the labour office, to ransack them and then suspect or blackmail them into sponsoring what you call a protest. Nigerians are entitled to their rights. It is condemnable. As a party, we do not support it.”
Echoing this sentiment, Yunusa Tanko, spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, criticised the manner of the raid. “The action of the security agencies is totally condemnable. These are respected union leaders, not criminals. So what is all this showmanship of barging into the NLC office unannounced?” Tanko said.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) also voiced its disapproval, with its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, questioning the government’s commitment to democratic principles. “One begins to wonder whether they are going back to the military days. It would seem that from Mr. President’s speech, he feels that the people do not understand,” Johnson remarked.
Prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), described the invasion as a “shameful reminder” of Nigeria’s authoritarian past. “It is incontestable that it is illegal for security forces to invade the homes and offices of law-abiding citizens and corporate bodies under a democratic dispensation,” Falana stated.
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) also condemned the raid, calling it “an egregious abuse of democratic principles.” In a statement, Executive Director Ibuchukwu Ezike demanded that the police return the seized NLC property immediately and issue an apology for what he termed “a flagrant and heinous act.”
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged restraint, cautioning against hasty conclusions. Bala Ibrahim, the party’s National Publicity Director, argued that the public should wait for more information from investigators before jumping to conclusions. “Unless and until you are able to get information from those who are investigating as to what prompted their action, you cannot just pre-empt and jump to a conclusion by saying a particular action is wrong,” Ibrahim said, adding that it was too early to “paint political pictures based on emotions and sentiments.”
As tensions rise, the incident has sparked a broader debate about the balance between security measures and the preservation of democratic freedoms in Nigeria.
