The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday, provided justification for the recent police raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, attributing the action to national security concerns.
Egbetokun, speaking at a Youth Summit organized by the police, responded to questions regarding the force’s opposition to the ongoing hardship protest.
He emphasized that while the police are not inherently against protests, it is their duty to manage them responsibly.
According to the IGP, intelligence gathered by the police suggested that the protest could be exploited by agents of destabilization with the intent to undermine national security.
“Anyone privy to the intelligence we have would understand why it’s risky to come out and protest under the current circumstances,” Egbetokun stated.
He disclosed that the police had credible information indicating that certain elements, including some foreigners, were plotting to use the hardship protests as a cover to destabilize the country.
Without revealing specific details, Egbetokun mentioned that the police are actively pursuing these individuals, some of whom have already fled the country.
He also hinted at the involvement of these foreign agents in other crises, noting that one such individual had been traced to the NLC headquarters.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the raid, Egbetokun clarified that the operation targeted a specific shop within the NLC premises, which was allegedly being used by one of these agents as a front.
“We have been closely monitoring his activities. He was very active during the Sudan crisis and has now come to Nigeria to mobilize people against the state,” he revealed.
The IGP further explained that valuable documents were recovered during the raid, reinforcing the police’s concerns.
“There was no need for the noise about the raid on the labour house,” he asserted, downplaying the broader implications suggested by critics.
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