Abuja – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday led a nationwide protest in Abuja, insisting that its action was not driven by sectional or partisan interests but by a collective demand to rescue Nigeria from deepening insecurity threatening lives, livelihoods, and national stability.
Workers and civil society allies gathered at the NLC Secretariat in Abuja, urging the federal government to deploy “the full machinery of governance” to reclaim communities seized by criminal elements, protect citizens, and restore public confidence in the state’s ability to guarantee security.
Although participants began arriving before 7:30 a.m., the protest formally commenced between 11:15 a.m. and 11:39 a.m., following a closed-door meeting between NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero and top labour leaders. The discussions, which lasted several hours, came after an earlier engagement between NLC leaders and President Tinubu over the planned demonstration, reflecting labour’s commitment to dialogue while maintaining pressure through peaceful mass action.
Hundreds of workers clustered around the secretariat premises as labour leaders temporarily withdrew for consultations. Present at the protest were leaders of the NLC, members of its affiliate unions, and civil society allies including Omoyele Sowore and members of the Revolution Now Movement.
Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Ismail Bello, addressed the workers, stressing that the protest was about national survival and the collective well-being of Nigerians.
“What we are doing today is not just for the benefit of workers alone; it is for the benefit of all Nigerians. As citizens, we have surrendered our sovereignty to government in the hope that they will secure lives, protect citizens, and run the economy in a way that benefits the majority of our people, not just a few politicians,” Bello said.
He highlighted the enormous toll of prolonged insecurity, noting the destruction of communities and livelihoods. “We are reminding the world of the calamity that has befallen many communities and many workers; healthcare workers, nurses, teachers, transport workers and others. The damage is enormous, and it has to stop,” he added.
Bello reaffirmed the constitutional right to peaceful protest, warning against any attempts to intimidate workers. “We are here on the streets reminding government that nobody can gag us from exercising our right to freedom of association and freedom of assembly,” he said.
Calling for decisive action against kidnappers and criminal networks, Bello said, “People must return to normalcy. Children should return to school. Teachers and students must be protected. Our constitution guarantees that. All government needs to do is to deploy all the powers and machinery of governance to recover all spaces that have been taken over by criminals.”
Also speaking, Head of the International Department of the NLC, Comrade Uche Ekwe, said the protest aimed to strengthen government’s resolve to confront insecurity. “If government is truly committed, we want to strengthen their hands. Those funding insecurity must be arrested and dealt with. If they think they are powerful, they should face the Nigerian people,” Ekwe said.
The NLC highlighted that insecurity has persisted for nearly two decades, marked by terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping, with devastating consequences for workers, families, and the national economy. Since 2009, more than 2,295 teachers have been killed by insurgents and bandits, while over 19,000 teachers have been displaced in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states. More than 910 schools were destroyed, forcing about 1,500 learning centres to shut down or be converted into camps for internally displaced persons.
In the health sector, the NLC said about 35 percent of healthcare facilities were destroyed by terrorism, while 50 percent became inaccessible in the North-East. Dozens of health workers were kidnapped or killed between 2021 and 2024, worsening the critical shortage of medical professionals.
Labour further linked insecurity to deep-rooted socio-economic injustice, widening inequality, corruption, and poor funding of education and health sectors. The NLC cited an estimated ₦300 billion loss during the 30 days of the JOHESU strike alone as a reflection of the broader systemic crisis.
The protest marked a turning point, with labour demanding concrete reforms, including making Chapter Two of the Constitution justiciable, strengthening transparent security trust funds, accelerating the prosecution of corrupt officials, reforming the judiciary, protecting public spaces, and addressing inequality through wage justice.
The NLC described the protest as “the starting point of reclaiming Nigeria from the jaws of insecurity and beginning genuine national healing,” insisting that the struggle was ultimately about safeguarding the future of all Nigerians.
