The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has staged a protest over rising insecurity in different parts of the country.
The protest came less than 24 hours after NLC leaders met president Tinubu to discuss labour-related issues, including security concerns affecting workers.
The NLC was joined in the protest by several civil society organisations on Wednesday.
In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the protesters marched from the NLC secretariat, under the watch of security agents from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
They later moved to the Federal Ministry of Finance.
In Lagos, NLC members and civil society groups marched from Ikeja, the state capital, to the Government House in Alausa.
They decried the spate of kidnappings and other crimes in different parts of Nigeria and called on the state and federal governments to take urgent action to improve the situation.
The Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, embarked on a peaceful march through the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway from its office.
They expressed concerns over persistent security challenges and their impact on the safety and livelihoods of Nigerians.
The protesters moved to the Rivers State Government House, where they gathered at the main entrance, waiting to be addressed by government officials.
Workers in Taraba State also joined their counterparts across the country to protest and demand better security for lives and property.
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The protesters expressed worry over banditry and demanded action, rather than rhetoric.
They urge the government to live up to its responsibility of guaranteeing the safety of Nigerians.
In Niger State the peaceful protest was led by the NLC State Chairman, Idrees Lafene, alongside other labour union leaders and members, who converged at the Labour House along IBB Road, Minna, from where they marched through major streets of the state capital, drawing public attention to the growing security challenges facing the country.
The demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as “No Security, No Peace, No Development,” “Protect Our Lives,” “Protect Our Communities,” “Secure Nigerians Now,” “Kidnappers, Bandits, Terrorists and Their Sponsors Are Criminals,” “Nigeria Is Bleeding,” “Federal Government, Stop the Criminalities Now,” and “Security and Safety Are Our Fundamental Rights — Stop the Killings.”
Lafene acknowledged the efforts of the Niger State Government and the State House of Assembly in addressing security challenges in the state, but stressed that the current situation demanded more decisive action.
“However, we are on this protest because we are not satisfied. If we were satisfied, we would not have come out,” he said.
He added that no citizen should be forced to live in camps or as internally displaced persons (IDPs), insisting that every Nigerian had the right to live peacefully in their own community.
“We are urging the government to do more, even when we know they are doing a lot. The issue of insecurity is general, and despite the efforts being made, the results are not yet yielding the desired impact.
“The government must intensify its actions, closely supervise security agencies, and put in place strong policies that will ensure criminals are completely driven out of Niger State,” he added.
The protest later terminated at the Niger State House of Assembly Complex, where the demonstrators presented a position paper on insecurity to the legislature.
Receiving the protesters, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, said the House remains committed to addressing security challenges not only in Niger State but across the country.