The United Action Front Civil Society (UAFCS) has decried the raid of National Headquarters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja by security operatives in the course of the recent nationwide protests against hunger and economic hardship in the country.
UAFCS which described itself as the official monitors of the August nationwide protests accused the security operatives of executing the raid under the cloak of darkness “based on what they called the ‘suspicion’ that a most wanted criminal and terrorist was using the place as hiding abode.”
The organisation also frowned at the continued detention of key leaders of the recent protests, alleging that they were abducted from their various homes in gestapo manner by security operatives in the dead of the night during the protests.
Head, coordinating secretariat,
UAFCS, Olawale Okunniyi, in a statement, said based on observations from their Situation Room, which monitored the August nationwide hunger protests, an independent civil probe is necessary to unravel the causes of the violence and deaths which characterised the nationwide protests in various parts of the country, the clampdown on civil groups and how to prevent future occurrence.
“To this end, a committee of eminent Nigerians from across the six geo political zones of the country shall be immediately set up to undertake this crucial historic task in the interest of the stability of Nigeria.
“The organized Civil Society, while calling for remorse and retreat by Nigerian security agencies on the dastardly security operation against Civil populace and Labour, wishes to demand the immediate release of all protesters including their leaders, especially Ms Angel Innocent, Micheal Lenin Adaramoye, Opaluwa Eleojo, Mosiu Abolaji, among others who were blind folded before their abductions from their various homes by security agents by 2am in Abuja.”
“This becomes imperative now that rumour is now very strong that security agents plans to secretly eliminate these protesters, especially their leaders in their incarceration to forestall future protests.
“We therefore urge the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to ensure that nothing untoward happens to any of the 1,423 Protesters in various detentions nationwide to prevent violent reactions from protesters during the next round of citizens’ mass action proposed against the current economic policies stoking hunger and hardship in the country.
“Finally, the Leadership of the organized Civil Society wishes to call on President Tinubu to order the immediate release of civil protesters currently being detained across the country by security agencies and to immediately initiate dialogue on key demands of the nationwide protests before the next round of National mass Protests proposed for October this year by the leaders of the nationwide protests in averting an explosive citizens – government face-off, which is inimical to the economic well-being of Nigeria. For a stitch in time, they say, saves nine,” the organisation said.
