Ahead of today’s nationwide protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress, the police have mobilised special forces and tactical teams to ensure a violence-free demonstration.

State police commands, in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Tuesday, confirmed their readiness to tackle miscreants and political hirelings who may want to disrupt the rallies.

The NLC had stated that it would not retract its planned nationwide protests, which were called in response to the escalating insecurity in the country and other labour issues.

When asked if the NLC has mobilised its affiliate unions for the rallies, the spokesperson for the congress, Benson Upah, stated, “We are going on with the protest across the country.”

He warned that any attempt to interfere with today’s National Day of Protest and Mourning could spark a nationwide indefinite strike.

Upah, in a statement on Tuesday, explained that the union had received intelligence suggesting that unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings might try to infiltrate or violently disrupt the demonstrations.

He added that harming even a single worker or citizen would trigger an immediate and indefinite shutdown across all sectors of the economy.

“Our action tomorrow is 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,” the statement read.

‘’Any attack on our protest will be an attack on the very engine of Nigeria. The consequence will be an escalation and a total shutdown,” the union warned.

The protest is linked to broader labour grievances, including unresolved agreements with the Federal Government, rising cost of living, and the impact of insecurity on workers’ productivity, safety and livelihoods.

The union highlighted the deaths of countless members, teachers, farmers, miners, and other artisans amid escalating insecurity and government inaction.

The NLC framed the protest as a civic action, not just a labour issue, aimed at mobilising public opinion and compelling authorities to prioritise security and governance reforms.

In announcing the protest, the NLC directed its state chapters across the 36 states and the FCT to mobilise members for peaceful demonstrations, emphasising that the action is lawful and constitutionally protected.

In a notice issued to all state councils on December 10, after its National Executive Committee -in-session meeting held on December 4, the labour centre condemned the activities of bandits and kidnappers across the country and the government’s failure to address the situation.

The NEC had expressed serious concern over the country’s worsening security situation, including the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State on 17 November 2025, during which two staff members were killed.

It condemned the withdrawal of security personnel prior to the attack and called for urgent government intervention.

“The surge in kidnappings targeting schoolchildren has reached an alarming and unacceptable level,” read the communiqué issued after its meeting.

The union, in its statement on Tuesday, urged all workers, students, traders, and citizens to remain disciplined, peaceful, and united. “Solidarity is our shield,” it said.

The NLC also called on the police, who have been informed of the protest, to protect citizens’ democratic right to assemble and express their grievances.

The protest, first announced following the NLC’s National Executive Council meeting on December 4, 2025, is intended as a response to a wide range of national crises.

According to the World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update, released in October 2025, approximately 139 million Nigerians, about 61–62 per cent of the population, are living in poverty, a sharp increase from previous years.

The union has previously stressed that protests are necessary to draw attention to government failures in addressing insecurity, economic hardship, industrial disputes, and political accountability.

The union raised concerns about the tertiary education sector, noting that university infrastructure continues to deteriorate, teaching and research resources remain outdated, and staff allowances are often unpaid.

The NEC criticised the Federal Government’s use of divide-and-rule tactics, which undermine union unity and stall negotiations. It urged the government to implement a fair and uniform remuneration framework for all university workers while recognising the unique needs of different professional groups.

Meanwhile, the Federal Workers Forum has thrown its full weight behind the planned nationwide protest by the NLC, describing it as a “national assignment” critical to the survival of the country.’’

In a statement signed by Andrew Emelieze, the National Coordinator of the FWF, alongside Secretary-General Ayo Ogundele and Mobilisation Officer Aliyu Ibrahim, the federal workers expressed readiness to participate in the protest, calling on all Nigerians to join in solidarity. “This protest is not for workers alone; it is a duty for our collective survival,” the statement said.

The forum cited worsening insecurity, poor governance, dilapidated public services, and the harsh economic realities confronting Nigerians as reasons for the urgent protest.

“Nigeria is now like a state of nature; uncertainty and fear have become the hallmark of our daily lives. Governance has reached the lowest ebb, and we cannot continue to witness this pervasive hopelessness,” the FWF said.

The forum specifically criticised the government’s handling of public sector strikes and wage arrears, noting that health workers have been left unsupported, education remains underfunded, and federal employees were owed backlogs of pay.

Similarly, the Joint Aviation Trade Unions Forum said its members would participate in the protest. It, however, assured that aviation operations will not be disrupted as workers would continue to render services.

Speaking on the planned action, the Secretary of the Joint Aviation Trade Unions Forum, Nnadi Hector, said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to insecurity across the country.

“NLC is saying that there is insecurity in Nigeria. Government should do something,” he said.

Hector described the action as peaceful and lawful, noting that it fell within the constitutional rights of workers and would not involve a shutdown of services.

“And it’s a peaceful protest. This is normal. It’s within your fundamental rights. Everybody is joining them as long as you are a member of NLC; they are not withdrawing services tomorrow,” he stated.

According to him, participation would vary among workers, as some would be on duty while others joined the protest.

“Some people will join, some people will continue the work. It’s not a strike,” he said.

He further explained that the protest was not limited to aviation workers alone but involved all unions affiliated with the NLC.

“It’s not just exclusive to aviation unions that are joining the protest. All the unions are meant to join the protest. If NLC calls for a protest, all unions will join the protest,” Hector said.

He added that unions would only deploy a specific number of members to participate in order to press their demands.

“It’s not as if all the numbers in a union will join the protest. They will request a particular number to join them to press their demand,” he added.

The Edo State Council of the NLC resolved to give full effect to the directive of the national labour leadership.

After a meeting of the State Executive Council, it directed the Edo NLC State Administrative Council or Caretaker Committee to put the necessary machinery in motion to mobilise and coordinate the protest.

In a statement, the Caretaker Committee chairman, Prof. Monday Igbafen, appealed to the state government to collaborate with the NLC to depoliticise the state NLC.

He also said the Edo NLC joined the NLC National Executive Council to denounce the Nigerian state over the crisis in the tertiary education sector and criticised it over the industrial dispute in the health sector.

Meanwhile, the police have scaled up security and deployed men and equipment across their territories to ensure hitch-free protests.

The Benue State Police Command said it deployed tactical teams across the state to ensure that the planned peaceful protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.

The spokesperson of the command, Udeme Edet, stated, “The command has deployed tactical teams all around major areas of the state to ensure that the planned protest by the labour union is not hijacked by hoodlums.

“I can assure you that the whole state is peaceful now, but our officers are on alert in case of any eventuality.”

The Jigawa State Police Command, on its part, highlighted its plans to make the protest violence-free.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, detailed the command’s proactive measures, saying, ‘’We’ve deployed adequate personnel to monitor and secure the protest routes,” he said.

The Sokoto State command said it is engaging with the labour leaders on how to ensure a peaceful atmosphere during the protest.

The spokesman for the command, Ahmed Rufai, disclosed that the command has also placed its personnel on alert, while a special team would be deployed to some flashpoints in the metropolis.

“We held a meeting with their leadership today at the headquarters, and we have received their assurance that the protest will be orderly. The command has also put its men on alert in case of any uncertainty,” he added.

The Imo State police spokesman, Henry Okoye, said the command has deployed ‘’maximum security’’ to guard against any form of breach.

According to him, the state is safe, and residents will be protected during the protest.

“The Imo State police command has deployed maximum security for members of the NLC during their protest to ensure there is no breach. There is nothing to worry about.

“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, has deployed watertight security to prevent any form of security breach and breakdown of law and order,” Okoye said.

Similarly, the Bayelsa State police explained that it would mobilise both tactical units and drones to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the NLC protest.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, noted, “The CP has directed that tactical units will be deployed to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the protest. The drone units will also be deployed to assist officers on the ground.”

Ahead of today’s rally, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, has met with state labour officials to ensure a peaceful protest.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna, told The PUNCH that the meeting was held at the command’s headquarters in Bompai on Tuesday.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has engaged the leadership of the NLC in the state today with a view to ensuring that the event is peaceful,” Haruna said.

According to him, the command has also put in place necessary measures to ensure that the protest is peaceful and that nobody uses it to cause trouble in the state.

In the same vein, the Public Relations Officer of the Gombe State Police Command, Buhari Abdullahi, said all arrangements have been put in place to ensure a peaceful rally.

“All necessary arrangements have been made to ensure full security for the rally, as strategic security deployments have been carried out.

“The Commissioner of Police has assured the NLC of full security coverage for a smooth procession.”

Also, the Bauchi State police command confirmed it would deploy personnel to ensure a peaceful protest by the NLC in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Habib Nafiu, said the command was aware of the planned nationwide protest and had taken proactive steps to guarantee public safety.

Nafiu noted that the NLC is a structured and organised union made up of educated members drawn from non-governmental organisations and government establishments, stressing that its members are law-abiding citizens with the constitutional right to embark on peaceful protests.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress is a formal organisation. Its members are citizens of this country, and they have the right to protest peacefully,” he said.

Also in Akwa Ibom State, the police pointed out that they engaged with the labour leaders in the state.

The command spokesman, Timfon John, added that adequate deployment had been made in strategic locations backed by enhanced patrols.

‘’The command is currently talking with the NLC leadership to ensure no breach of peace is recorded in Akwa Ibom State,’’ she explained.

“The police have made enough deployments throughout the state. These measures include the deployment of adequate personnel to strategic locations, enhanced patrols, and intelligence-led surveillance.’’

In Kwara State, the police have also put in place measures for a peaceful demonstration.

Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, assured residents that the police would provide adequate security before, during and after the protest, noting that the command was committed to protecting the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly while preventing a breakdown of law and order.

“The Kwara State Police Command has stationed its officers and men in strategic areas of the state capital to ensure the maintenance of law and order and to guard against the protest being hijacked by criminal elements,” she said.

The PPRO further disclosed that the command would be holding a security summit on Wednesday as part of broader efforts to tackle insecurity and violent crimes in the state.

According to her, the summit, themed ‘Taking Back Our Communities: The Police–Public Partnership Against Violent Crimes’, is aimed at strengthening collaboration between security agencies and members of the public in the fight against crime and criminality. (The PUNCH)

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