BREAKING: DSS raids NLC headquarters over alleged protest sponsorship

Security operatives suspected to be from the Department of State Services (DSS) raided the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) amid allegations that organized labor sponsored the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.

According to reports, the operatives stormed the building late at night, after most staff had left. A private security guard at the site confirmed to a labor leader that masked operatives armed with rifles arrived around 10 p.m. and initially targeted the 10th floor, where the office of NLC President Joe Ajaero is located. They later proceeded to the second floor, where other NLC offices are housed.

Benson Upah, the Head of Information at the NLC Headquarters, stated that an official statement would be released, but no statement was available at the time of the report. Attempts to contact the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, for a response were unsuccessful.

The raids come in the wake of protests that erupted on August 1st in several states and the Federal Capital Territory against the rising cost of living. The protests escalated when calls for regime change emerged, with Russian flags being flown in parts of the country. In response, President Bola Tinubu summoned security chiefs to address threats to democracy and ordered a crackdown on individuals involved in the unrest. This directive led to raids and numerous arrests by the DSS and other security agencies.