Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday took to the streets across the country in a nationwide protest against rising insecurity and worsening economic conditions.
In Abuja, protesters converged on the NLC Secretariat at Labour House, led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, alongside civil society activists, including Omoyele Sowore of the Revolution Now Movement.
The protest went ahead despite a late-night meeting between President Bola Tinubu and NLC leadership on Tuesday aimed at stopping the action. Speaking to journalists, Ajaero said no agreement was reached to suspend the protest.
Similar demonstrations were recorded in Lagos, where workers and activists gathered in Ikeja, carrying placards and chanting slogans demanding urgent government action to curb kidnappings, violent crimes, and economic hardship.
A protester who spoke to News Central Television expressed anger over the security situation, calling for stiff penalties for kidnappers. “Any kidnapper should be sentenced to death. They should kill them immediately,” the protester said.
The nationwide action was first announced following the NLC National Executive Council meeting on December 4, 2025, in response to what the union described as deepening national crises.
The NLC cited growing insecurity, including the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State on November 17, during which two school staff members were killed. The union condemned the reported withdrawal of security personnel before the attack and demanded urgent intervention by the government.
Beyond insecurity, the protest also focused on unresolved agreements with the Federal Government, rising cost of living, and the impact of insecurity on workers’ safety, productivity, and livelihoods.
The congress lamented the deaths of its members, teachers, farmers, miners, and artisans across the country, blaming government inaction for the worsening situation.
Describing the protest as a civic responsibility, the NLC said the action was aimed at mobilising public opinion and compelling authorities to prioritise security and governance reforms.
In a notice to its state chapters dated December 10, the union urged members to conduct peaceful demonstrations, stressing that the protest is lawful and protected by the Constitution.
“The surge in kidnappings targeting schoolchildren has reached an alarming and unacceptable level,” the NLC stated in its communiqué.
The labour union also called on the police and other security agencies, who were duly notified of the protest, to safeguard citizens’ democratic right to peaceful assembly and expression.