We Didn’t Raid NLC Headquarters – DSS
The Department of State Services (DSS) has debunked reports that its operatives on Wednesday raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) located in the Central Business District area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Reacting to reports that some masked armed men, allegedly from the DSS, invaded the NLC’s headquarters and made away with several vital documents, the Secret Police’s Spokesperson, Peter Afunanya said the Service had no involvement in the so-called raid.
In a brief statement refuting the accusation on Thursday, Afunanya said; DSS “Good morning dear friends. Please note that the Service (DSS) did not carry out any operation at the NLC office in Abuja”.
The NLC had claimed that the raid occurred around 8:30 pm when some security operatives reportedly broke into the Labour House with its Head of Media and Public Relations, Comrade Benson Upah disclosing that the assailants ransacked the bookshop on the second floor, seizing hundreds of books and other publications.
“The invading team claimed that they were searching for seditious materials allegedly used during the #EndBadGovernance protests,” Upah said.
Condemning what it described as an unlawful invasion of its premises, the NLC demanded the immediate withdrawal of the security operatives from its headquarters.
A statement issued in Abuja said; “The Nigeria Labour Congress condemns in its entirety this new low in security operations in Nigeria. The armed security operatives showed no legal documents permitting them to invade the premises of the Nigeria Labour Congress at the ungodly hour of the night”.
The NLC further expressed its dismay, noting that even during the dark days of military rule, the NLC secretariat was never subjected to such an invasion.
Reports quoted one of the labour leaders, who claimed to have spoken with a private security guard attached to the building on the phone and confirmed that the masked operatives with assorted rifles stormed the building at about 10 pm.
According to the official who preferred anonymity, the guard told him that the operatives went directly to the 10th floor of the building where the office of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero is located.
The official added the guard confided in him that the masked operatives later came back to the second floor where some offices belonging to NLC are located.
