We conducted operation at Labour House — NLC not target, say police

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has denied raiding the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja.

In a statement on Friday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said an operation was carried out to arrest a suspect at a shop situated within the Labour House.

Adejobi said the suspect, who is a foreigner, was “implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries”.

“Detectives, armed with the appropriate legal authority, conducted an operation at the location, which turned out to be the NLC building,” the statement reads.

“This well-coordinated, lawful operation was solely aimed at apprehending the prime suspect — a foreign national implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.

“We emphasise that this operation had no connection with the NLC, its Secretariat, staff, or leadership.

“The NLC Secretariat was not the focus of the operation, which was targeted at a rented shop within the building used by the suspect as a front for his criminal activities in Nigeria.

“The Nigeria Police Force seeks the cooperation and support of the NLC leadership as we continue this investigation, which is vital to safeguarding our nation.

“The high-profile nature of the suspect poses a significant security threat to Nigeria and other African nations, making this investigation crucial for the safety of all involved, including the NLC.”

On Wednesday night, security agents raided the Labour House in the Central Business District of Abuja.

Benson Upah, the spokesperson of the NLC, said the security operatives “claimed that they were looking for seditious materials used for the #EndBadGovernance protests”.

The Department of State Services (DSS) denied involvement in the raid.