In a powerful display of public discontent, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) took to the streets on Wednesday, staging nationwide protests against the escalating insecurity and worsening economic conditions plaguing the nation. This action proceeded despite a late-night meeting between NLC leaders and President Bola Tinubu aimed at halting the demonstrations.
Talks Fail to Avert Planned Action
The protest, which saw significant gatherings in Abuja and Lagos, was held after union leaders declared that the Tuesday night engagement with President Tinubu yielded no concrete resolution to suspend the planned action. NLC President, Joe Ajaero, informed journalists that the discussions did not produce an agreement strong enough to call off the nationwide protest. Workers and their civil society allies insisted that the presidential meeting failed to address their core demands with the urgency required.
Scenes from Abuja and Lagos Protests
In the nation's capital, protesters assembled early at the NLC Secretariat, Labour House, Abuja. They carried placards and chanted slogans, demanding immediate government action to curb the rampant kidnappings, killings, and violent crimes terrorizing citizens. The demonstration was attended by NLC President Joe Ajaero alongside civil society figures, including activist Omoyele Sowore and members of the Revolution Now Movement.
Similarly, in Lagos, NLC members and supporters converged in the Ikeja area, marching peacefully while calling on authorities to tackle the insecurity that continues to threaten lives and livelihoods. Some protesters were seen demanding the death penalty for kidnappers, highlighting the depth of public frustration.
Catalysts: Kidnappings, Killings, and Economic Pain
The NLC pointed to several harrowing security incidents as the impetus for the protest. A key reference was the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State on November 17, an attack that also resulted in the killing of two school staff members. The Congress criticized the reported withdrawal of security personnel prior to the attack and demanded urgent corrective measures from the government.
Beyond the security crisis, the union cited unresolved agreements with the federal government, the crippling rise in the cost of living, and the impact of violence on workers' productivity and safety as fundamental reasons for taking to the streets. The NLC emphasized that the protest was a peaceful, lawful, and constitutionally guaranteed expression of their democratic rights and called on the police to protect the protesters.
The union's decisive move underscores a growing impatience with the state of the nation, demonstrating that dialogue without tangible results is no longer sufficient to quell public anger over issues of safety and survival.
