The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced a nationwide protest scheduled for December 17, framing it as a critical, non-partisan intervention to address the country’s escalating security crisis. The declaration, made by NLC President Joe Ajaero in Gombe, positions the labour movement not just as a negotiator for wages, but as a central pillar of civil society demanding fundamental governance and safety.
Ajaero, speaking after a meeting with Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, articulated a multi-faceted rationale for the protest that moves beyond mere condemnation. He presented insecurity as a systemic threat with direct, catastrophic consequences for Nigeria’s economic foundation and social fabric. “The situation now affects every Nigerian, regardless of status or occupation,” Ajaero stated, emphasizing the universal vulnerability that has eroded the traditional boundaries of class and profession.
From Economic Strangulation to Social Erosion
The NLC’s argument connects dots often treated separately. Ajaero explicitly linked rampant banditry and kidnapping to capital flight and stunted development, noting that insecurity “is damaging the economy and weakening Nigeria’s ability to attract local and foreign investors.” This creates a vicious cycle: a lack of investment stifles job creation, which in turn fuels the economic desperation that can feed criminality. The protest, therefore, is framed as an economic imperative as much as a security one.
More powerfully, Ajaero humanized the statistics by citing a recent incident in Kebbi State. “The person killed was a teacher, while the kidnapped children included those of workers,” he said. This example underscores how the crisis directly targets the nation’s future—its educators and its youth—and devastates the working-class families who form the NLC’s core constituency. He highlighted the brutal financial toll on workers, where victims’ families are forced into “borrowing or begging” to pay ransoms, a practice he condemned as undermining national values and social cohesion.
A Protest of Last Resort and Strategic Support
Striking a nuanced tone, Ajaero described the protest as serving a dual purpose. Primarily, it is a “voice to Nigerians and the international community” for a populace that feels defenseless—”We don’t have guns or cutlasses to chase criminals.” Secondly, and strategically, he framed it as an act of solidarity with the state. “Government should know their hands are being strengthened to do the needful,” he argued, suggesting that mass civilian mobilization provides the government with the visible public mandate required to take decisive, potentially difficult, actions against criminal elements.
Broader Demands: Beyond Security to Social Welfare
While the December 17 action is focused on insecurity, Ajaero used the platform to reiterate broader labour demands, contextualizing them within the climate of fear. He called for an expansion of social safety nets, arguing that “minimum wage alone cannot ease hardship without supportive incentives.” In a stark rhetorical challenge, he questioned, “…unless government wants to give us security allowance to pay ransom,” pointing to the absurd reality where workers might need a budgetary line item for kidnapping ransoms.
The NLC’s planned protest represents a significant escalation of civil society response to Nigeria’s security challenges. By tying the safety of workers directly to national economic health and positioning collective public action as essential backing for state power, the Labour Congress is attempting to forge a unified, national front against what Ajaero termed a “dangerous national narrative.” The December 17 demonstrations will be a key test of public sentiment and the government’s readiness to perceive such mobilization as partnership rather than opposition.
Edited by Yinusa Ishola / Kamal Tayo Oropo
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