The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has hired forensic experts to comb its national secretariat in Abuja for possible bugs planted by the police.
The Labour union stated that the forensic security audit would facilitate the return of its workers to their offices following the recent raid by the police.
Chronicle NG reported that security agents, on July 7, conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.
According to Benson Upah, the NLC spokesperson, the operatives burst into the building at about 8.30 pm and arrested the security guards, forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor.
Upah said, “The security operatives, some from the Nigeria Police Force, some wearing black tee-shirts, presumably from the Department of State Services, and others on outright mufti, swooped on the 10th floor of the NLC and arrested the security operative on duty and then commandeered him to the second floor, where he was asked to produce the keys to the offices.”
The police claimed responsibility for the operation, stating that it was intended to unearth damning materials that could help build a case against a worldwide “subversive” figure deemed a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Last Monday, the NLC disputed the police’s justification for the raid, demanding the release of its arrested members and the seizure of records.
In an interview, the NLC’s National Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, said that the union had recruited foreign experts to search the office for any bugs hidden by police.
“The police stormed and raided the Union’s headquarters in the nation’s capital and carted away documents.
“The NLC, in its National Executive Council meeting, deliberated and agreed that there is a need to conduct a forensic security audit to ensure that the people were safe, and nothing was planted in its headquarters, among other things, before they resume back to their offices.
“As a result of this, the NLC has initiated a thorough forensic security audit of the national secretariat. The security checks are being conducted by international experts, who have already begun working to secure the premises against any potential surveillance devices,” Onyeka said.
He maintained that the explanation provided by the police was absurd.
“The NLC met in their National Executive Council meeting and demanded an apology from the Federal Government and the police, which has not been offered till now,” he said.
