Insecurity: NLC stages protest in Cross River, Zamfara, Plateau, others  

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that workers in Nigeria are no longer safe, even within their workplaces as union members staged protests in Cross River, Zamfara, Plateau, Bauchi states and other parts of the country.

The State Chairman of the NLC in Cross River, Comrade Greg Olayi, made this assertion in Calabar while leading a peaceful protest against the worsening state of insecurity across the country.

Comrade Olayi said many Nigerians can no longer live or work in safety, citing attacks on farmers, the abduction of schoolchildren, and increasing threats faced by travellers on major highways.

According to him, citizens now live in constant fear, unable to sleep soundly or carry out legitimate activities without risking their lives.

He stressed that Nigerians elected their leaders to guarantee security and welfare, but lamented that the reality on the ground reflects a failure of that responsibility.

Describing the situation as unacceptable, Olayi said workers and citizens are exposed to danger daily, while families are traumatised by kidnappings and ransom demands.

He added that the protest was not solely about workers’ welfare but about the safety and survival of all Nigerians.

Also speaking at the rally, Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Raymond Afu, said labour was compelled to speak out due to the growing hardship and insecurity confronting Nigerians.

He described the protest as a call to conscience, urging governments at both sub-national and national levels to take decisive steps to restore peace and stability.

Comrade Afu noted that the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property, adding that Nigerian workers and citizens deserve a country where they can live and work without fear. He emphasised that the protest was peaceful and aimed at expressing labour’s concern for the welfare of the people, not to incite violence or destruction.

The organised labour leaders jointly called on governments at all levels to urgently address insecurity, improve living conditions, and fulfil their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, insisting that immediate action is required to prevent further loss of lives and restore public confidence.

In Zamfara, the NLC lamented insecurity in the state which he said had crippled various sectors.

The state council chairperson, Comrade Sani Halliru, stated this while presenting a letter of the nationwide protest to Governor Dauda Lawal.

“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 Our Motto stand as “Farming Is Our Pride,” Comrd. Halliru said.

He said the rationale for the peaceful protest is to express deep concern over the growing security challenges bedeviling the Country, with Zamfara State particularly being mostly and heavily affected.

“This menace has significantly endangered the lives and livelihood of workers nationwide. Our slogan for the protest is; environment where workers can carry out their duties without fear,” Comrade Halliru said.

The Zamfara State Government stands with all well-meaning Nigerians in calling for an end to insecurity and reaffirms its resolve to continue working, in collaboration with national authorities and all stakeholders, until peace is fully restored.

Responding, Governor Lawal appreciates the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress for choosing a peaceful and orderly approach in expressing your concerns.

According to him the protest reflects maturity, patriotism, and commitment to the well-being of Zamfara State and Nigeria at large.

The governor also said, the state government had taken careful note of the nationwide peaceful demonstration organized by the national leadership of the union to draw attention to the worsening security situation across the country.

Governor Lawal represented by the state Permanent secretary Establishment, Garba Gayari, said the action was not targeted at any single state but forms part of a broader national call for urgent and coordinated action to end insecurity in Nigeria.

Garba Gayari further said the choice of a peaceful protest reflects a commitment to national stability and democratic engagement, which the Zamfara State Government fully respects.

“The Government equally recognizes that Zamfara State has been among the states most affected by insecurity. This challenge has touched every sector of society, including workers, farmers, business owners, and rural communities. It has disrupted economic activities, reduced agricultural productivity, and limited the full utilization of the State’s vast land and natural resources,”Gayari said.

Similarly, the NLC has expressed its dismay with the government over what it termed the worsening security situation across the country, and the existential threat it poses to Nigeria.

Speaking on Wednesday in Jos the state capital during a nationwide protest against the insecurity in the nation, Plateau State Chairman of the NLC, Eugene Manji, called on the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to urgently improve coordination among security agencies and deploy modern surveillance tools to track criminal networks.

The chairman said with the Christmas season approaching, threats of fresh attacks were already emerging, adding that while acknowledging the place of prayer, it was insufficient to tackle the current insecurity in the country.

“Do we not have the technology to detect where these criminals operate from? Are they more intelligent than our security agencies?

“Today, you cannot travel safely. You cannot even sleep safely in your own home. Yes, we pray. But prayers without action will not save us.

“It is unacceptable that people are being killed like animals in their own country, yet the government appears indifferent. Nigeria was only jolted into action after being labelled a ‘country of particular concern’ by the United States.

“So we urge governments and security institutions to work together decisively against Nigeria’s common enemy. We have many issues, but today our focus is on insecurity,” he said.

He stressed that insecurity affects all Nigerians, whether one is a Christian, a Muslim or a free thinker, pointing out that kidnapping, banditry, terrorism has affected many villages being wiped out, as well as targeted attacks on schools, churches, mosques — whether from Sokoto to Zamfara, to Plateau and beyond.

On education, the labour Manji lamented the prolonged closure of schools in Plateau State due to insecurity, warning that such disruptions align with the agenda of extremist groups opposed to education.

“When schools are shut for over a month because of insecurity, then the enemies of education have already succeeded. A country without education is already doomed,” he said.

The labour leader noted that Nigeria, with an estimated population of over 250 million people, risks producing generations of uneducated citizens if the trend continues.

The protesters marched from the Secretariat Junction to the Plateau State House of Assembly to present their grievances to the Speaker, before proceeding to the Government House to submit a formal petition to the governor.

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