Falana: DSS denial not enough — IGP must identify invaders of NLC HQ

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, says Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), must identify the invaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja.

On Wednesday, some security agents raided the Labour House in the Central Business District (CBD) of Abuja.

Benson Upah, spokesperson of the NLC, said in a statement that the “invading troop claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernance protests”.

However, the Department of State Services (DSS) denied involvement in the alleged raid of the NLC headquarters.

In a statement on Thursday, Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the invasion of the Labour House was designed to silence the NLC leaders for “having the temerity to criticise the harassment of the #EndBadGovernance protesters by the police and other security agencies”.

“The invasion is a shameful reminder of the armed invasion of the NLC secretariat on February 28, 1988, following the loss of the post of the president of the congress at the triennial delegates conference of the congress by the stooge of the Ibrahim Babangida military junta,” the statement reads.

“As if the invasion was not enough, the reactionary forces in power at the material time proceeded to seize the secretariat and impose a sole administrator to manage the affairs of the congress for over a year.

“Two years earlier, security operatives had detained NLC leaders, including its president, Comrade Ali Chiroma, who died a few months ago.

“The Gestapo tactic on that tragic occasion was to forestall a nationwide protest in response to police killings of Ahmadu Bello University students.

“For genuine democrats, it’s utterly regrettable that official actions in a democratic dispensation could be reminiscent of the atrocities that defined the dark days of military dictatorship.”

Falana said it is illegal for security forces to invade the homes and offices of law-abiding citizens and corporate bodies under a democratic dispensation.

“Hence, the State Security Service has denied its involvement in the invasion,” he said.

“However, the official denial of the State Security Service in the repressive activity is not sufficient.

“We are therefore compelled to call on the Inspector-General of Police to order an inquiry into the identities of the perpetrators of the illegal invasion. This should not be a case of unknown invaders!”