Ahead of the Christmas and New Year festive period, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) took to the streets across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday, protesting against the insecurity that has bedeviled the country.
The protest, which commenced as early as 8 am in the nation’s capital, was led by the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, accompanied by the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore.
Security personnel were deployed to monitor the procession across the country.
Before the commencement of the protest, Ajaero said, “There was nothing on the ground to show that the protest wouldn’t go as planned.
“Like I said earlier, Nigerians, especially Nigerian workers, are currently confronted with the worst level of crisis of survival ever experienced in the history of our nation, not during the civil war and not during the years of austerity measures.
“One of the key components, and indeed its pivot, is the crisis of financial security. The Nigerian worker is at the bottom of the ladder comparatively with other African countries, including war-ravaged countries like Somalia and Sudan.”
How the protest went across some states
In Adamawa State, the protest began with a road walk from the labour house to the Government House junction and back to the Labour house.
Workers carried placards and banners demanding protection of the lives of citizens, the prosecution of the sponsors of crime, and an end to insecurity across the state.
In a remark, Vice Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Adamawa state chapter, Comrade Usman Babbada, said the protest was drawing government attention to the high level of insecurity in the country.
In Lagos, protesters converged at the Ikeja Underpass, carrying placards and chanting slogans calling on the federal government to end insecurity.
However, the Sokoto State chapter of the congress suspended its earlier planned street protest over worsening insecurity and resolved to hold special prayers for peace and safety across the state.
In Enugu, the demonstration was led by the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, who expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the country.
Nwigbo lamented the rising cases of violent crimes and kidnappings, urging the government to take decisive steps to safeguard lives and property.
On his part, the Chairman, Kano State Chapter of the NLC, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, called on President Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, find a lasting solution to the persistent insecurity in the country.
Inuwa said the issue of insecurity had thrown Nigerians into untold hardship, hence the need for a coordinated effort between the president, state governors, and security apparatus in order to surmount the challenges.
While the Chairman of the NLC in Bauchi, Dauda Shuaibu, called on the government to expose those sponsoring insecurity and prosecute them.
In Niger, the protesters demanded the immediate rescue of citizens in captivity, including the pupils of St Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, who were kidnapped recently.
In Plateau, Chairman of the NLC, Eugene Manji, said that with the Christmas season approaching, threats of fresh attacks were already emerging.
In Calabar, the state’s Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Greg Olayi, said many Nigerians could no longer live or work in safety, citing attacks on farmers in their fields, the abduction of school children from classrooms, and increasing threats faced by travelers on major highways.
The Zamfara state NLC Chairperson, Comrade Sani Halliru, said Zamfara State is the state that is worst hit by insecurity, saying it has crippled all sectors of human endeavour.
Halliru said: “Zamfara State is blessed with vast land which, if all is normal, we can feed the nation considering how strong we are in mining, farming, and agricultural production, as well as due to our abundant natural and mineral resources.”
The Kwara State Council of NLC warned that the worsening insecurity across the country was threatening livelihoods and placing the national economy under severe strain.
The state’s NLC Chairman, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka, lamented that the spate of violent attacks and criminal activities had forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands, while ordinary Nigerians now lived in fear.
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