By Joy Yesufu
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday staged a nationwide protest against rising insecurity and deteriorating economic conditions.
The Labour leaders and activists assembled at the Labour House, Abuja, and other locations across the country.
The protest went ahead despite a late-night meeting on Tuesday between President Bola Tinubu and NLC leaders aimed at averting the action.
Speaking to journalists, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the engagement failed to produce any resolution capable of addressing the union’s concerns.
Ajaero led the Abuja protest alongside civil society activists, including former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and members of the Revolution Now Movement.
In Lagos, protesters converged on Ikeja, carrying placards and chanting slogans that demanded urgent government action to curb violent crimes, kidnappings, and economic hardship.
The demonstration followed a resolution of the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on December 4, 2025, where the union expressed alarm over worsening insecurity nationwide.
The NEC cited the November 17 abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, during which two school staff were killed, as a major trigger for the protest.
The union condemned what it described as the withdrawal of security personnel minutes before the attack and called for immediate government intervention.
Beyond insecurity, the protest also highlighted unresolved agreements between labour unions and the Federal Government, the rising cost of living, and the worsening impact of insecurity on workers’ safety, productivity, and livelihoods.
The NLC noted that many of its members, including teachers, farmers, miners, and artisans, have lost their lives to violent attacks, accusing the government of failing to take decisive action.
Describing the protest as a civic responsibility, the union said it was aimed at mobilising public opinion and compelling authorities to prioritise security and governance reforms.
In a notice issued to its state chapters on December 10, the NLC directed that the protests be conducted peacefully, stressing that the action was lawful and protected by the Constitution.
“The surge in kidnappings targeting schoolchildren has reached an alarming and unacceptable level,” the NEC said in its communiqué.
The NLC also urged the police, who were formally notified ahead of the protests, to safeguard citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression. “Solidarity is our shield,” the union added.
