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The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has strongly criticized the recent police invasion of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja, denouncing it as an abuse of democratic principles. The incident occurred on Wednesday night, with police officers reportedly storming Labour House, forcefully breaking into the NLC’s bookshop, and confiscating materials allegedly used to incite hunger protestors.
In a statement released on Thursday, the CLO’s Executive Director, Ibuchukwu Ezike, condemned the government’s use of coercive institutions to suppress its citizens. “We hold that it is an abuse of democratic process for a government that was elected by the people to turn around and use its institutions of coercion to oppress its citizens,” Ezike stated.
The incident, first reported by PUNCH Online, involved security operatives dressed in police uniforms, mufti, and masks. They allegedly seized materials used by the NLC to organize protests that began on August 1, 2024. The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied involvement in the raid.
The CLO also recalled a similar experience on August 9, 2009, when its national headquarters in Lagos was raided by law enforcement agencies. Ezike highlighted that despite a court order, the police have yet to return the confiscated property or compensate the CLO for the illegal raid. “Our office at 13, Soji Adepegba Close on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, was illegally sealed for one year… Till date, the police have defiantly refused to obey the judgment of the court,” he added.
Furthermore, the CLO expressed dismay that President Bola Tinubu, who had previously protested against military and civilian regimes, would resort to using state machinery to infringe on citizens’ rights. The organization called for the immediate return of the confiscated NLC property and an apology from the police.
The CLO also urged the Federal Government to drop proposed criminal charges against individuals involved in the Russian flag controversy and focus on addressing pressing national issues such as corruption, hunger, poverty, and insecurity. “These are the concerns of the CLO and all patriotic Nigerians, at least, for now,” the statement concluded.
