The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has confirmed that its planned nationwide protest against rising insecurity, scheduled for December 17, will proceed as announced.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made this known in Gombe during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya.
He emphasized that there had been no directive to suspend the protest, describing it as “sacrosanct.”
Ajaero said the demonstration aims to draw urgent attention to the worsening insecurity across the country and its devastating impact on the economy, workers, and investors.
“Insecurity is discouraging both local and foreign investment and compounding the economic hardships faced by Nigerians,” he said.
The NLC president noted that the protest is intended to push the government to take decisive action against banditry, kidnappings, and other security challenges.
He cited instances of workers being kidnapped and killed, including a teacher reportedly murdered during a recent attack in Kebbi State. He also highlighted that many abducted children are offspring of workers, forcing families to borrow money to pay ransoms.
Governor Yahaya, while commissioning the NLC state secretariat, said a strong and productive workforce is essential for positive development.
He described workers as indispensable partners in governance, noting that their welfare has remained central to his administration since 2019.
The governor added that the state government has maintained a culture of dialogue, mutual understanding, and shared responsibility with organised labour, a strategy that has strengthened industrial harmony and productivity.
He also recalled that Gombe was among the first states to implement the National Minimum Wage despite limited resources, describing it as a deliberate investment in human capital development.
