Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress gathered at the NLC Secretariat, Labour House, Abuja, on Wednesday for a nationwide protest against increased insecurity and deteriorating economic conditions.
President Bola Tinubu met with NLC leadership on Tuesday night in an attempt to avert the demonstration, but Ajaero told reporters there was no way to stop it.
According to Channels TV, others in attendance included NLC President Joe Ajaero and civil society allies such as Omoyele Sowore and Revolution Now Movement members.
Protesters gathered in Ikeja, Lagos, waving placards and singing slogans calling for immediate action to combat violent crime and kidnapping. Did you know there’s a festival in India where people willingly get coconuts cracked on their heads?
A member of the NLC, speaking to the press, said, “Any kidnapper should be sentenced to death… They should kill them immediately.”
The demonstration, which was announced during the NLC’s National Executive Council meeting on December 4, 2025, responds to a variety of national crises.
The NEC voiced alarm about growing insecurity, notably the November 17 abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, which resulted in the deaths of two staff members. The union decried the departure of security officers before the attack and demanded immediate government assistance.
The demonstration also targets broader labor complaints, such as outstanding agreements with the federal government, rising living costs, and the effects of insecurity on worker productivity, safety, and livelihoods.
The NLC emphasized the deaths of countless members, teachers, farmers, miners, and other artisans due to rising insecurity and government inaction.
The NLC described the action as a civic obligation, aiming to mobilize public opinion and urge the government to prioritize security and governance improvements.
On December 10, the union issued a message to state chapters urging peaceful demonstrations, emphasizing that the action is legal and legally protected.
“The surge in kidnappings targeting schoolchildren has reached an alarming and unacceptable level,” the NEC communiqué said.
The Congress also called on the police, who were notified of the protest, to protect citizens’ democratic right to assemble and express their grievances. “Solidarity is our shield,” the union said.
