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The Country Director of Amnesty International, Isa Sanusi, has strongly condemned the invasion of the Nigeria Labour Congress headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
He described the raid, which occurred on Wednesday night, as a "sinister and calculated attack" aimed at intimidating the labour union.
He disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The raid, which occurred on Wednesday night, was described as a “sinister and calculated attack” designed to intimidate the labour union.
He stated, “Amnesty International strongly condemns the brazen invasion of the headquarters of Nigeria Labour Congress by a contingent of armed security personnel. The chilling raid last night appears to be part of a sinister and calculated attack designed to intimidate the labour union.”
During the raid, security personnel ransacked the NLC bookshop, confiscated materials and claimed they were used to incite and organise recent protests.
Sanusi expressed concern about the safety of NLC officials, stating, “We are deeply concerned about the safety of NLC officials. Under international human rights law and standards, trade unions cannot be targeted for their participating activities.”
Amnesty International emphasised that Nigeria had an obligation to respect and protect the rights of trade unions under international human rights law.
According to Sanusi, under international human rights law, Nigeria has a duty not only to respect trade union rights but also to safeguard them from abuse.
The raid on the NLC headquarters has raised concerns about a wider crackdown on labour activism in Nigeria.
The NLC has been leading recent protests against government policies, and the raid is viewed as an effort to silence the union's voice.
