Police raid: NLC suspects bugs, hires forensic expert

The Nigeria Labour Congress has hired forensic experts to comb its national secretariat in Abuja for possible bugs planted by the police, The PUNCH was told.

The union said the forensic security audit would facilitate the return of its workers to their offices following the recent raid by the police.

The PUNCH reported that security agents, on July 7, conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.

According to the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, 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 took responsibility for the operation, saying it was aimed at uncovering incriminating documents that could help build a case against an international “subversive” figure considered a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Last week, the NLC rejected the explanation offered by the police on the raid and demanded the release of its arrested members and seizes documents.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the National Assistant General Secretary of NLC, Chris Onyeka, said the union had hired foreign experts to comb the office for possible bugs planted by the police.

“The police stormed and raided NLC’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 insisted that the explanation offered by the police was untenable.

“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.