The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has accused the federal government of declaring a “hybrid war” on the organisation, following the recent raid on its secretariat by security personnel.
Addressing a press conference at Labour House, Abuja, on Thursday, the Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, stated that the government’s refusal to meet the congress’s demands, five days after they were made, was a clear indication of its intention to silence the organisation.
Upah reiterated the congress’s demands, including the return of all items seized during the raid, an apology from the police and federal government, and the release of everyone detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
He also condemned the government’s attempt to reduce the tenure of trade union leaders to two years, describing it as a gross interference in the internal running of trade unions.
“We demand that the government put an end to this hybrid war against Congress. However, if the government feels two years is the best tenure to go, it should be two years for everyone including the President of the country,” Upah said.
The NLC spokesperson challenged the police to provide evidence of the alleged “international terrorist” they claimed to have been targeting during the raid, questioning the credibility of their intelligence and the timing of the operation.
According to him, “The police in subsequent media interviews said the suspect is ‘an international terrorist’ with a long history of destabilisation of nations including Sudan. The police made other wild and unsubstantiated claims. We find the claims contradictory, self-serving and face-saving and intended to cover up their blunders.
“What were the security personnel doing on the 10th floor when the shop they were after was on the 2nd floor? They said they were after this ‘international crook of foreign descent’ and yet came hours after offices had closed. Between the materials they took away and the terrorist, which had more value?”
Upah added, “The police now claim they had necessary legal documents for the raid. We challenge the police to tender those court documents. We pray they are not contrived or procured documents after the act of invasion.”
He emphasised that the congress would not be intimidated and would continue to demand accountability from the government.
The NLC also demanded an end to the government’s meddling in the affairs of the Labour Party and opposition parties. “We advise the government to stop meddling in the affairs of the Labour Party even as its destabilisation campaign against opposition parties has reached a crescendo. Our actions are guided by the decision of a competent court of jurisdiction,” said Upah.
Calling for the release of detained protesters, the NLC spokesperson said, “We want to reiterate that even though we are the owners of barricades, we did not participate in the End-Hunger protest. Government therefore should not rope us into something we knew nothing about. Accordingly, we ask the government to release those in its custody including a National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, executive (Comrade Opalua Eleojo) who was arrested at a social spot in Abuja.”
Upah said the congress has conducted a forensic audit of its premises following the police raid and would hold the Nigeria Police Force responsible for any incident at its headquarters or against its leaders and members.
“We advise the government to stop further acts of intimidation against the Nigeria Labour Congress and indeed against the generality of Nigerians.,” he added.
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