The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) commenced its nationwide protest against escalating insecurity in Lagos on Wednesday morning, pressing ahead despite a late-night meeting with President Bola Tinubu aimed at averting the action.
NLC President Joe Ajaero confirmed to journalists after the Tuesday engagement that no agreement was reached to suspend the demonstration, underscoring workers’ resolve to highlight kidnappings, killings, and economic fallout from violence.
Recalled, President Tinubu hosted NLC leaders at the State House on Tuesday evening in a bid to forestall the “National Day of Protest and Mourning,” but Ajaero declared the action unchanged, with workers mobilizing across major cities.
In Gombe earlier, Ajaero had explained: “Our planned protest is to call attention to the impact of insecurity on investors and workers, who are kidnapped daily and sometimes killed.”
The NLC warned of potential indefinite strike if protesters face attacks, stating any assault would constitute “an act of terrorism,” while affiliates like the Federal Workers Forum pledged full support, calling the protest overdue to halt national decline. E-hailing drivers under AUATON in Lagos and Port Harcourt also joined, prioritizing peaceful expression of grievances.
The protest stems from the NLC National Executive Council’s December 4 decision at its Yaba, Lagos sub-secretariat, citing abductions like the November 17 Kebbi schoolgirls kidnapping—where two staff died after security withdrawal—as evidence of crisis reaching “a dangerous level.” The union demands school protection, perpetrator accountability, and reversal of banditry alien to Nigerian culture that deters investment.
Ajaero stressed in Gombe: “The person killed was a teacher, while the kidnapped children included those of workers. So we are asking the government to help fish out the perpetrators and put an end to this menace,” adding workers lack arms and rely on protests as their voice, rejecting security allowances for ransoms.
Broader concerns include World Bank data showing 139 million Nigerians (61-62%) in poverty, decaying university infrastructure, unpaid allowances, and health sector strikes since November 14.
Beyond insecurity, the NLC decried failing tertiary education with “outdated” resources and called for fair pay across professional groups, while threatening to join health unions fully if talks fail. Politically, it revived the Labour-Civil Society Coalition against interference in the Labour Party by the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, withdrawing members and seeking working-class aligned parties.
In Lagos, workers gathered at Labour House with activist Omoyele Sowore, as Ajaero convened early Wednesday to assess outcomes, though street actions proceeded amid reports of determination not to back down.
The protest demands decisive government action, public backing to strengthen authorities, and end to violence undermining social cohesion, with Ajaero noting: “Government should know their hands are being strengthened to do the needful because Nigerians are saying this is wrong and must stop.”
