By Victor Ahiuma-Young, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Haruna Aliyu, Steve Oko, Bashir Bello, Shina Abubakar, Chinedu Adonu & Ochuko Akuopha
ABUJA — The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday staged a nationwide protest over worsening insecurity in the country, insisting the federal government must urgently deploy “the full machinery of governance” to reclaim communities, protect workers and restore public confidence.
They also asked the government to ensure that all those behind the funding of insecurity are arrested and prosecuted.
In Abuja, the protest, following heavy security deployment, terminated abruptly as the protesters,who came out in their numbers, were not allowed to go beyond the Ministry of Finance, which is just a few metres away from the Labour House.
The protest commenced between 11:15 a.m. and 11:39 a.m., but NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and other top labour leaders were not seen during the procession, as they were locked in a closed-door meeting that had lasted several hours.
Earlier, the leader of the Revolution Now Movement, Omoyele Sowore, was sighted at the Labour House in solidarity with the NLC before the commencement of the procession.
Workers, affiliate unions, civil society allies and journalists started arriving at the venue before 7:30 a.m., but the demonstration did not commence until past 11 a.m., with protesters waiting for directives from the union leadership.
Shortly after their arrival, the NLC president and leaders of affiliate unions withdrew into a closed-door meeting, while hundreds of workers gathered in clusters within and around the secretariat premises.
But before then, Ajaero had debunked the insinuation that after the meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night—which lasted until the early hours of Wednesday—the protest had been called off.
Fielding questions on the insinuation, Ajaero said: “I don’t know when we should stop working with insinuation. NLC is an organisation that has its own channel of communication. I am not sure we sent any letter to the media calling off the action, so I don’t know where you got the insinuation. Is meeting with the president the same thing as calling it off?”
Labour core demands
Asked about the core demands of labour, he said: “Before now, we did a letter to the president to discuss the state of the nation with him.
That was precisely on June 16. And between that time and now, we have made efforts—a letter through the Minister of Labour, acknowledged; a letter to the Chief of Staff to the president, acknowledged; a letter through the Secretary to the Federal Government, acknowledged—and some of them were acknowledged on the 17th, six months today, and none of them communicated to the president.
“Some of the discussions we wanted to hold with the president concern the issue of security—both physical insecurity and financial insecurity. So, it took this action, which was basically to protest and to list for them the level of financial insecurity that workers are passing through.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), through the Progressive Governors Forum, we were able to secure a meeting with the president, and we listed all these issues, including the crisis in the tertiary institutions. We were clear with him. Of course, he agreed that there should be a negotiating machinery in the tertiary institutions so that it will not be ASUU today, SSANU the next day, and NASU after that. So he agreed on that.
“On the issue of health workers who have been on strike for a long time—JOHESU—we agreed on that, and he gave the governors the channel for getting back to him, interfacing between us and him, because it appears all the bureaucratic channels have collapsed. They are not working together, and I am not sure they meet him.
“We then discussed the issue of insecurity—physical insecurity and financial insecurity—and he said the security situation did not start with him, which we appreciate. But leadership is a continuum, and he said he has done a lot.
“We lamented the issue of equipment for our own security, which he said he has gone far in making sure that in no distant time, the issue of insecurity will be a thing of the past. He also said he has pulled Nigeria out of economic hardship, which we said we want to see translate to the pockets of the workers.”
Ajaero said President Tinubu agreed to meet the National Administrative Council, NAC, of the NLC by January next year so that all the issues could be discussed.
“You can see that these are discussions and actions in progress, but whether people will now translate that to calling off the protest—that is not the position of Congress,” he said.
He explained that the protest was to call attention to the seriousness of both financial and physical insecurity.
The NLC president said the unusual deployment of security personnel was normal, as it was either to protect the workers or to stop the action.
“It is normal,” he said, adding: “The success of any protest is about the number of policemen and DSS that are either sent to secure us or to stop us. Either way, that is success, and we envisaged all these things.”
He, however, frowned at the incessant deployment of security heads to interface with them whenever they had industrial issues.
“We have noticed some reactions from security apparatus, especially the hierarchy, and we want to put on record that industrial relations issues are not security issues. Anytime we have an action, it will be wrong to send the heads of security institutions to negotiate with us. It’s a no-no.
“In terms of labour issues, the Office of the Secretary to the Government and the Ministry of Labour are responsible—not the heads of security institutions, whether that is to intimidate us or not, I have never seen any country where, on labour issues, you call security people to intimidate us or whatever. That’s what we are seeing here now, and I think it should be seen in that perspective.”
He said because of plans to disrupt the protest by security agencies, the NLC had to restrategise and decide its next move. “Do you want us to put all our strategy in the media?” he asked rhetorically.
Addressing workers after the brief procession, Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Ismail Bello, said the protest was not for partisan or sectional interests, but for the survival of all Nigerians.
He said: “What we are doing today is not just for the benefit of workers alone; it is for the benefit of all Nigerians. As citizens, we have surrendered our sovereignty to government in the hope that they will secure lives, protect citizens and run the economy in a way that benefits the majority of our people, not just a few politicians.”
He added that Nigerians had paid a heavy price for the prolonged insecurity, with communities destroyed and livelihoods lost.
“We are reminding the world of the calamity that has befallen many communities and many workers—healthcare workers, nurses, teachers, transport workers and others. The damage is enormous, and it has to stop.”
Head of the International Department of the NLC, Comrade Uche Ekwe, said the protest was aimed at strengthening the government’s resolve to confront insecurity.
“If government is truly committed, we want to strengthen their hands. Those funding insecurity must be arrested and dealt with. If they think they are powerful, they should face the Nigerian people.”
According to the NLC, insecurity has persisted in Nigeria for nearly two decades, marked by terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, with devastating consequences for workers and the economy.
It disclosed that since 2009, over 2,295 teachers have been killed by insurgents and bandits, while more than 19,000 teachers have been displaced in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Over 910 schools were destroyed, forcing about 1,500 learning centres to shut down or become internally displaced persons’ camps.
In the health sector, the NLC said 35 per cent of healthcare facilities were destroyed by terrorism, while 50 per cent became inaccessible in the North-East.
It added that dozens of health workers had been kidnapped or killed between 2021 and 2024, worsening the already critical shortage of medical professionals.
Labour further blamed socio-economic injustice, widening inequality, corruption and poor funding of education and health sectors for fuelling insecurity, noting that Nigeria lost an estimated ¦ 300 billion during the 30 days of the JOHESU strike alone.
After the closed-door meeting with President Tinubu, NLC President Ajaero said Labour would return to the drawing board and take a collective decision on suspending or continuing with the protest.
“If I’m insisting or not insisting, I will communicate that to you. It is not an organisation that one person rules. We will go back to the drawing board, digest all that Mr. President said to us, and move forward from there,” he said.
Also present at the meeting was Imo State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said sustained dialogue remained the preferred option for resolving outstanding issues between labour and the government.
Responding to questions on what Nigerians should expect from the engagement, the governor said all parties were acting in the broader national interest.
The Minister of State for Labour, Rt. Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who also spoke to journalists after the meeting, said labour leaders welcomed the opportunity to engage the President directly and were reassured by the discussions.
Enough is enough, NLC, CSOs, Falana storm Lagos streets
At the Lagos leg of the protest, the NLC and its civil society allies demanded that the Federal Government, as a matter of urgency, ensure the security and welfare of citizens, lamenting that the country continues to be plagued by insecurity despite deploying troops to other nations on peacekeeping missions where they have successfully restored law and order.
Across the states, protesters marched to the respective Houses of Assembly, where they submitted letters to Speakers, calling for decisive action to end insecurity in the country.
Speaking in Lagos, Chairperson of the NLC, Lagos State Council, Agnes Sessi, said the challenge of insecurity had become overwhelming, noting that fear now dominates the lives of many citizens.
Also speaking at the protest, human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, warned that the country was in serious trouble due to the alarming level of insecurity, describing the protest as a clear message that citizens had had enough of the government’s slow pace in addressing the challenge.
Falana urged the Federal Government to adequately motivate security personnel, stressing that the solution was not necessarily in increasing their number but in equipping them with modern and adequate military hardware in the national interest.
He also demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the 400 alleged terrorism financiers arrested during the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021, noting that the Federal Government had failed to prosecute them.
On broader measures required to tackle insecurity, Falana said physical security could not be achieved without addressing fiscal and social security challenges.
According to him, without creating jobs for the youths and tackling poverty, insecurity cannot be eliminated.
He further stated that following the removal of fuel subsidy, which increased federal allocations to states, and with poverty worsening across the country, it was time for labour to once again demand the immediate provision of palliatives for workers, farmers, traders, and other vulnerable Nigerians.
Protests in other states
The Organised Labour and their affiliates also held similar protests in Kebbi, Osun, Kano, Enugu, Delta, Abia and Sokoto among others in solidarity with the NLC and Nigerians facing security challenges in their states.
On a report submitted to the Senate by a firm of auditors alleging that N210 trillion was diverted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Falana insisted that the report must not be swept under the carpet.
Receiving the letter, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Shabi Adebola, who spoke on behalf of the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, assured the protesters that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was addressing security concerns in Lagos State, and recently provided 100 vehicles to the police to enhance security operations.
In Kebbi, the NLC State Chairman, Comrade Murtala Usman, said that theirs is not a protest but a solidarity rally because Kebbi is relatively peaceful despite pockets of attacks by bandits.
In Osun State, protesting workers converged on Freedom Park from where they walked through MDS, Old Garage to Olaiya under bridge, where Labour and civil society leaders addressed the gathering. Led by Dr Christopher Arapasopo, they tasked the President Tinubu’s administration to end insecurity and stop inflation which have made life difficult for the masses.
In Kano, the NLC Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, called on President Tinubu to as a matter of urgency find a lasting solution to the persistent insecurity in the country.
The Chairman made the called during the nationwide protest to present its demand to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf for onward submission to President Tinubu.
Comrade Inuwa said the issue of insecurity has thrown Nigerians into untold hardship hence the need for a coordinated effort among the President, State governors and security apparatus among others to surmount the challenges.
Receiving the protesters, Governor Abba Yusuf who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Sulaiman Sani Wali, said the government is not relenting as all hands are on deck in the state to tackle the insecurity menace headlong.
He commended the NLC for the peaceful conduct during the protest and promised to forward their demand to the President.
Leading the protest in Enugu, NLC Chairman, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, expressed deep concerns over the pervasive threat to lives and property nationwide, and urged the government to take decisive action rather than rhetoric.
In his address to the crowd, Nwigbo expressed grave disappointment that, in Nigeria, cows are safer than humans, stating, “Nobody is safe anymore in the country, not even the security personnel.”
He lamented that insecurity affects all sectors, such as students, teachers, workers, farmers, travelers, and even political figures, highlighting the country’s alarming state of chaos.
In Delta, Chairman of the State Council of NLC, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku stressed the need for government in the country to do more about securing the lives and property of workers while the Secretary, Comrade Acrobat Enekhawore, lamented that insecurity has disrupted daily life and shattered public confidence across the country.
Responding, the Delta State Government, said security remained the very essence of governance, assuring of its commitment to the protection of lives and property.
Chief of Staff, Mr.Johnson Erijo, gave the assurance at Government House, Asaba, while addressing members of the NLC who embarked the nationwide protest against insecurity in the country
on behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, noted that the primary essence of government was the security and welfare of its citizens, saying that no government would be indifferent to the safety of its people.
Saying that Delta State remained relatively peaceful, he described the protest as a solidarity action reflecting the broader national security challenges.
Saying that President Bola Tinubu inherited some of the security challenges currently confronting the country, he said: “We equally recognize the efforts being made by the Federal Government to confront and address the ugly and disturbing security situations being experienced in some parts of the country.”
In Abia, NLC Chairman, Abia State, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, speaking during the protest at the main entrance gate to Abia Government House Umuahia, regretted that “while Nigeria is on fire, its leaders are chasing rats.”
He challenged President Tinubu to rise to the challenge of insecurity in Nigeria before going to other countries to play ‘Big Brother Africa.’
“And that is why we are saying: let our President squarely tackle insecurity. We have all it takes. If Nigeria could fight apartheid in South Africa in the past, there is no reason it cannot fight insecurity in Nigeria.”
NLC, however, commended Gov. Alex Otti on his efforts in tackling insecurity in the state, and “for his strides in infrastructural development, education health and some other sectors.”
Responding, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Kingsley Nwokocha, who received the protesters on behalf of the Governor, thanked them for their peaceful comportment, and assured that their message without be conveyed to the presidency.
In Sokoto State Council, the NLC Chairman, Abdullahi Aliyu led a protest against the worsening insecurity ravaging Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara states, warning that the unchecked wave of banditry, killings and abductions has turned communities into theatres of fear and despair.
Workers, civil society groups, market unions and youths converged at strategic locations in Sokoto metropolis before marching to state NLC Secretariat, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with bold inscriptions such as “End Insecurity Now,” “North West Is Bleeding,” and “Government Must Protect Lives.”
Addressing the crowd, Aliyu said the protest was a collective cry of anguish by workers and ordinary citizens whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by daily attacks on villages, farms and highways across the North-West.
The labour further lamented that despite repeated assurances, residents of the affected states continue to live under constant threat, with farmers unable to access their farmlands, traders abandoning markets and thousands displaced from their homes.
The NLC accused criminal gangs of tightening their grip on rural communities, noting that the situation has crippled agricultural activities, worsened hunger and deepened poverty in a region traditionally regarded as the nation’s food basket.
They stressed that the fight against insecurity must be holistic, sustained and free from political considerations.
The protest ended with a strong resolution demanding urgent federal intervention to free Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara and the entire country from what the NLC described as “the shackles of insecurity bedevilling the nation,” warning that continued inaction would only deepen the humanitarian and economic crisis confronting Nigeria.
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