The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has expressed shock over the recent invasion of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja by officers of the Nigeria Police on Wednesday night, July 7, 2024.
In a statement, CLO’s Executive Director, Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, reported that police officers, some in uniforms, others in mufti, and some wearing masks, stormed the Labour House late Wednesday night. The officers forcefully entered the NLC’s bookshop, seizing valuable materials and loading them into waiting vans.
Ezike noted that the police allegedly claimed the confiscated materials were being used to incite the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests, which began on August 1, 2024, across Nigeria.
He strongly condemned what he described as the unlawful manner in which law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, invade the homes and offices of Nigerians without warrants, often at odd hours.
The statement recalled a similar incident on August 9, 2009, when the CLO’s national headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, was unlawfully sealed, with key office materials and equipment seized. Despite a court ruling in favor of CLO, the police have yet to comply with the judgment.
Ezike further criticized the current administration, expressing disbelief that President Bola Tinubu, who once protested against both military and civilian regimes, would resort to using state machinery to suppress citizens’ rights.
The CLO demanded the immediate return of the seized NLC property and an apology from the police. They also warned the Federal Government to drop proposed criminal charges related to the flying of the Russian flag during the protests, emphasizing that no section of the Nigerian Constitution criminalizes such an act.
Finally, the CLO urged the government to focus on pressing issues like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, warning that failure to address these could lead to renewed protests.
