NLC to Hold Nationwide Protest December 17 Over Rising Insecurity

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to stage a nationwide protest on December 17 to draw attention to the country’s worsening insecurity and demand urgent action from relevant authorities.

NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, disclosed this on Saturday in Gombe while speaking with journalists after a meeting with Governor Inuwa Yahaya on labour-related issues. He said the protest was aimed at compelling decisive government intervention to curb banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes threatening lives and livelihoods across the country.

Ajaero stressed that insecurity has become a national concern affecting all Nigerians, regardless of status or occupation, and warned that the situation is undermining economic stability and investor confidence.

“The protest is to demand urgent and decisive action against insecurity. Today, no Nigerian is immune. Workers, investors, professionals—everyone is affected,” he said.

He described banditry and violent crime as alien to Nigeria’s values, urging collective condemnation to reverse what he called a dangerous national narrative. According to him, insecurity is damaging the economy and weakening the country’s ability to attract both local and foreign investment.

“Our planned protest is to call attention to the impact of insecurity on investors and workers, who are kidnapped daily and sometimes killed,” Ajaero said.

Citing a recent incident in Kebbi State, the NLC president lamented that a teacher was killed while children of workers were kidnapped, underscoring the vulnerability of ordinary Nigerians.

“We are asking the government to help fish out the perpetrators and put an end to this menace,” he added.

Ajaero explained that the protest was also intended to reassure authorities that Nigerians support firm action against criminality.

“Government should know their hands are being strengthened to do the needful because Nigerians are saying this is wrong and must stop,” he said.

He further noted that kidnapping for ransom erodes national values and social cohesion, with workers bearing the brunt of the crisis. According to him, many kidnapped workers lack the means to pay ransom and are forced to borrow or beg to secure their release.

“It is important for workers to join the call to end insecurity, unless the government wants to give us security allowance to pay ransom,” he said. “We don’t have guns or cutlasses to chase criminals; protest is our only voice to Nigerians and the international community.”

The NLC president also urged the government to expand social safety nets, arguing that the minimum wage alone is insufficient to cushion the current hardship without additional supportive incentives.