The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have agreed to reconvene talks in January to address the country’s worsening insecurity and the broader issue of workers’ welfare.
This followed a nationwide protest organised by the NLC and its affiliates on Wednesday to draw attention to rising banditry, kidnappings and violent crimes across the country.
The NLC had earlier declared December 17 as a day of protest, citing what it described as a “degenerating security situation.” In a notice to its state councils, the union condemned persistent attacks by armed groups, including the abduction of students and killings of workers in several states.
In a last-minute effort to defuse tensions, President Bola Tinubu met on Tuesday night with NLC leaders and some state governors. Speaking to journalists after the protest, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the Congress would engage the President again in January to address both physical insecurity and what he termed the “financial insecurity” of Nigerian workers.
Ajaero said poorly paid and inadequately fed workers were more vulnerable to the effects of insecurity, stressing that economic hardship worsened the crisis.
According to him, the President assured labour leaders that concrete steps were being taken to tackle insecurity nationwide, adding that both sides agreed to further engagements to address outstanding concerns.
On the protest itself, Ajaero explained that it was not an indefinite action and had effectively ended on Wednesday, noting that labour leaders would brief their members on discussions held with the Federal Government before deciding on further steps.
Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said the President’s intervention helped ease tensions and opened a channel for sustained dialogue between government and labour.
He noted that discussions focused on national security, economic reforms and workers’ welfare, stressing the importance of national unity and regular engagement with organised labour.
Despite the talks, workers across several states and the Federal Capital Territory staged peaceful demonstrations. In Abuja, labour members converged at the NLC national secretariat under heavy security presence. Similar protests were held in Lagos, Enugu, Benue, Ekiti, Osun, Rivers, Imo, Gombe, Borno and other states.
Protesters carried placards and chanted solidarity songs, condemning kidnappings, killings and the growing fear restricting movement and economic activities nationwide.
Labour leaders warned that insecurity was discouraging investment, disrupting education and livelihoods, and taking a heavy toll on workers and their families. Some called for reforms of the security architecture, prosecution of terrorists and their sponsors, and stronger coordination among security agencies.
While protests were held in many states, the Sokoto State chapter of the NLC opted for special prayers for peace following consultations with its leadership, citing the heavy toll of insecurity in the region.
The NLC insisted that the protests were non-political and aimed solely at compelling urgent and decisive action to end terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across Nigeria.
Organised labour said it would await the outcome of the planned January meeting with the Federal Government before determining its next line of action.
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