Labour rallies against insecurity

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it has mobilised its members and affiliate unions for today’s nationwide protest against the insecurity.

Its Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, yesterday said the protest would commence at 7.30am at Labour House in Abuja.

He explained that the NLC took the decision to demand urgent and sustained action by the state to decisively address the festering insecurity in Nigeria.

There has been an upsurge of attacks on schools, worship centres, killings and kidnappings in several places in the country.

The NLC’s scribe said the protest would involve the peaceful procession of workers and civil society allies within designated routes.

The NLC, alongside some civil society organisations across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory mapped some routes they would follow during what is tagged a “peaceful protest”.

In an invitation to Daily Trust, Upah cited the resolution of the National Executive Council of the NLC to fully mobilise all NLC affiliates/state councils for the protest.

In a statement last night, Upah said the NLC had received “credible and disturbing intelligence from our networks within the communities that there is a clandestine move by some unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings, to infiltrate and violently disrupt the peaceful National Day of Protest and mourning organised by workers for tomorrow (today).

“These protests, as every comrade or citizen knows, are a necessary and legitimate response to the escalating reign of terror unleashed upon our nation. The industrial-scale losses of lives, kidnappings, abductions, and killings in the face of a staggering government’s indifference or weakness clearly speak to the issue.

“Our action tomorrow (Wednesday) is therefore not just a mere procession, it is a collective act of grief, a roar of despair from the oppressed, and a democratic demand for the fundamental right to life and security.

“We have lost count of the numbers of our members; teachers, farmers, miners and other artisans that have died to this overwhelming insecurity.

“Let this be understood by those who occupy the corridors of power and the purveyors of violence that the Congress is now officially aware of their plot to use armed thugs to attack peaceful protesters, cause mayhem, and create a pretext for violent repression. We name this plot for what it is, a further enabled terrorism against Nigerian citizens.”

He said the police had been informed of the protests “and its dynamics must act to protect the democratic rights of citizens to freely assemble and express themselves. The rights of citizens must be respected and guaranteed.”

Workers facing worst level of survival – Ajaero

The president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, said the protest became imperative because lives of Nigerians had increasingly become insecure as a result of the heightened levels of insecurity.

He said: “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.

“The simple and natural progression is that a man must eat to survive. However, when a man’s work does not provide adequate income to enable him to “eat”, survival becomes very difficult.

“When survival as a human becomes a stiff struggle, the worker becomes deeply insecure as he becomes exposed to existential demands that can only be met financially.

“The Nigerian worker is heavily stressed and constantly on edge with little hope for savings, asset accumulation, or long-term security. Unfortunately, this has become the current lived reality of Nigerian workers and masses.”

Ajaero also faulted the claim of inflation drop, saying it had not reflected in the lives of Nigerians.

He said: “The truth is that the income of Nigerian workers has continued to decline leading to increasing poverty even as we work harder.

“Nigeria’s inflation rate is among the highest in the world (above 30% in 2024), severely eroding purchasing power though we are constantly bombarded by questionable figures of decreasing inflation by the NBS.

“Real wages have stagnated and nosedived over time. Most salaries, especially in the public sector and many private firms, have not kept pace with inflation. The national minimum wage of N70, 000 is grossly inadequate for basic needs.”

Ajaero added: “The Nigerian worker is subjected to increasing hikes in electricity and telecom tariffs including tolls on some public highways.

“Left and right, the Nigerian worker faces increasing extortion and emasculation of his wages. Poor public infrastructure and Self-Funding of Services make mincemeat of workers’ incomes.

“Workers spend significant portions of their income on alternative power (generators/inverters), water, security, and private healthcare due to failing public infrastructure.

“Finally, the general high level of Insecurity & displacement has created one of the worst financial security conundrums for Nigerian workers. In some regions, conflict and terrorism disrupt livelihoods, displace families, and destroy assets, pushing workers into poverty that is when they are not killed in the process.

“In summary, Nigerian workers are caught in a relentless squeeze between macroeconomic instability and systemic failures.”

Situation in states

The chairman of the NLC in Plateau State, Eugene Manji, told Daily Trust in a telephone interview yesterday that the branch would comply fully with the protest.

“We take directives from the national body. Therefore, we will comply with its directive,” he stated.

For the Kano NLC chairman, Kabiru Inuwa, he said, “We are still awaiting further directives, but we are sure that we will take part fully.”

But the chairman of the NLC in Edo State, Bernard Egwakhide, in a statement, said the branch had pulled out of the protest.

He said: “The protest was ill-planned and coming at a time when a lot of people will be travelling or preparing to travel for the Yuletide celebration. Edo, being a gateway state cannot afford the kind of confusion this protest can cause at such a time”.

He said with the current economic situation, “this kind of protest would be an avenue for hoodlums to hijack the process and turn it into a leeway to commit atrocities and unleash mayhem on unsuspecting citizens and residents of the state.

Insecurity persists as girl dies, another gives birth in captivity

A 14-year-old girl, Ummi, from Ibeto town in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State, was said to have died from an undisclosed ailment after spending over two months in captivity.

Ummi was kidnapped alongside 16 others on October 1, 2025 when bandits attacked the town. The attack reportedly left four persons killed and nine others injured.

Among the captives are; Barrister Isyaku Danjuma, Nana Firdausi Isah, Shamsiya Jibrin, Suwaiba Ashafa, Hadiza Yusuf, Basira Yunusa, Sale Boy, Rashida Sale, Mujida Uccu, Safina Arma, Maryam Arma, Sadiqa Arma, Hassan Isah, Hussaina Isah, Aishatu Isah, Ubaida Yusuf and Na’ima Uccu.

Another abductee, Safina Arma, was said to have given birth to a baby boy in captivity.

Safina was reportedly pregnant at the time she was kidnapped during the attack.

Sources said the news of Ummi’s death and Safina’s childbirth was broken to their families on Monday.

According to a journalist based in Kontagora, Zakari Adamu Kontagora, “Among the women abducted by bandits in Ibeto, one of them named Safinah gave birth yesterday (Monday) to a baby boy. Besides her, there are others who are currently pregnant in captivity while some are ill. There is also a young girl who died on Friday. The situation is such that one can hardly say anything except to pray that God grants them a way out, because the authorities seem as though it is none of their concern.

“Sadly, on Friday, the girl, Ummi, daughter of Mai Su, aged between 13 and 14 years, passed away after suffering from illness while in captivity.

“Her relatives were informed yesterday (Monday) and the people of Ibeto have already performed Salatul Ga’ib (funeral prayer in absentia) for her, as prescribed by the Islamic religion. Besides her, there are others who are also seriously ill among the 17 people abducted in Ibeto, especially women and young children who are still in their custody,” he said.

Kontagora added that the victims had spent nearly 100 days in captivity since they were abducted, with no assurance yet of their rescue.

He said families and relatives of the victims were traumatized by their continued stay in captivity.

Meanwhile, Armayau Gimba, whose eight family members were among the abductees, recently told Aljazeera that he was contacted by the terrorists and asked to pay N800, 000, in addition to supplying 10 jerricans of petrol and 10 gallons of engine oil.

He said the demands forced him to sell the motorcycle he used for farming activities, yet his family members are still being held by the abductors.

However, farmers in Bangi and Mariga LGAs of the state told Daily Trust that they were yet to harvest their crops this year due to renewed kidnappings on farmlands.

One of them, who did not want his name mentioned, said the leader of the Yoruba community in Bangi, was recently killed while harvesting crops on his farm.

“We have not been able to harvest our crops. Our soyabeans are being wasted because they have dried up. Our white beans are also due for harvesting. The only thing we have partially harvested this year is maize. We need support because we are being impoverished”, he said.

The spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, had said efforts were being intensified by the police, military and vigilantes to secure the release of people in captivity.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago on Monday called for renewed prayers for the release of all residents of the state in captivity, including the remaining children from St. Mary Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara LGA.

Surge in kidnappings

Nigeria has witnessed a sharp rise in attacks and kidnappings over the past two months even as the military reported notable successes in countering criminal and terror networks across the country.

The spike in kidnappings prompted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a national security emergency on November 27, 2025, ordering a comprehensive overhaul of security operations and expanded deployment of forces to vulnerable areas.

The president also ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw all police officers attached to very important persons across the country, stressing the need to restore public confidence while ensuring perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.

On November 21, 2025, armed gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting 303 students and 12 teachers in broad daylight. The attackers reportedly seized children directly from classrooms, sparking nationwide alarm.

While about 150 children have since regained freedom, others remain in captivity as negotiations continue.

Earlier on November 17, 2025, another attack was recorded in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school. The assault was reported to have claimed the life of the school’s vice principal. Although the girls were later released, the incident reinforced concerns about escalating insecurity in northern Nigeria. Additional kidnappings were reported across Kwara, Kebbi and Kano States in late November, with armed groups targeting worshippers and residents.

Bombardments by security agencies

On October 23, 2025, the Nigerian Army said it repelled coordinated insurgent attacks in Borno and Yobe States, killing at least 50 fighters in a drone-assisted counteroffensive hailed as a breakthrough against Boko Haram and ISWAP militants.

On December 8, 2025, troops of the 8 Division killed Kachalla Kallamu, a top lieutenant and ally of terrorist kingpin Bello Turji, during a raid in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The operation also neutralised several bandits and disrupted Turji’s network in the northwest.

Between December 3 and 12, 2025, the Armed Forces carried out sweeping operations across the North East, North West, North Central, South-South, and South East regions.

According to Defence Headquarters, the missions dismantled hideouts, neutralised kidnapping gangs and rescued victims. In Kaduna and Plateau States, joint task forces under Operation Enduring Peace neutralised several criminal groups between December 11 and 13, while in the North East, the army rescued 21 kidnapped individuals, including foreign nationals, as part of ongoing campaigns to weaken terror networks.

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