Protest Over Insecurity on December 17 The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to stage a nationwide protest on Wednesday, December 17, to demand urgent government action to address the rising wave of insecurity across the country.
In a statement released by the NLC national leadership, the union cited growing concerns over persistent cases of banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, farmer-herder conflicts, and other forms of violence that have disrupted livelihoods, halted economic activities, and left millions of Nigerians in fear.
“The current state of insecurity in Nigeria is unacceptable and unsustainable,” the statement read. “Workers, their families, and all citizens have the right to live and work in a safe environment. The government has a constitutional duty to protect lives and property, but this duty is not being fulfilled adequately.”
The NLC disclosed that the protest will see workers and their allies converge on major cities across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Participants are expected to march to government houses, police headquarters, and other key institutions to present a list of demands, including increased funding for security agencies, better equipment for security personnel, improved intelligence gathering, and faster prosecution of suspects.
The union also called on other civil society organizations, professional bodies, and members of the public to join the protest, describing it as a “people’s movement” to push for meaningful change in the country’s security architecture.
“We are not asking for the impossible,” the statement added. “We are asking for the government to prioritize the safety of its citizens above all else. This protest is a wake-up call to remind those in power that the people will no longer tolerate inaction in the face of growing danger.
” The NLC has assured that the protest will be peaceful and conducted in line with the law, and has called on security agencies to provide protection for participants during the exercise. The union also urged the federal and state governments to engage in dialogue ahead of the protest to address the concerns raised.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the federal government to the NLC’s protest announcement. However, sources indicate that relevant authorities are monitoring the situation closely. Would you like me to add quotes from hypothetical stakeholders (like a state NLC chair or a security expert) to make the story more detailed?
