The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday 17th December stage a nationwide protest rally against worsening insecurity in the country.
Also, the congress has raised the alarm over plot to attack peaceful protesters and cause mayhem, warning that any attack on the demonstrators would be a declation of war on Nigeria.
A statement signed by NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said it resorted to protest in order to demand urgent and sustained action by the state to decisively address the lingering insecurity in the country.
It explained that the protest which will start at 7:30 a.m on Wednesday, will involve the peaceful procession of workers and civil society allies within designated routes.
Meanwhile, the congress in another statement titled: “An Attack on Any Protester is an Act of Terrorism”, also signed by Benson Upah, said it received credible and disturbing intelligence from the networks within the communities that there is a clandestine move by some unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings, to infiltrate and violently disrupt the peaceful national day of protest organised by workers.
The statement read in part: “These protests, as every comrade or citizen knows, are a necessary and legitimate response to the escalating reign of terror unleashed upon our nation. The industrial-scale losses of lives, kidnappings, abductions, and killings in the face of a staggering government’s indifference or weakness clearly speak to the issue.
“Our action tomorrow is therefore 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. We have lost count of the numbers of our members; teachers, farmers, miners and other artisans that have died to this overwhelming insecurity.
“Let this be understood by those who occupy the corridors of power and the purveyors of violence that the Congress is now officially aware of their plot to use armed thugs to attack peaceful protesters, cause mayhem, and create a pretext for violent repression.
“We name this plot for what it is, a further enabled terrorism against Nigerian citizens.
“We issue a stern and final warning to the purveyors of this act: Desist Immediately. Call off your hoodlums as any attack on peacefully protesting workers will be considered a direct declaration of war on the entire Nigerian working class and its allies.
“The Police having been informed of our protests and its dynamics must act to protect the democratic rights of citizens to freely assemble and express themselves. The rights of citizens must be respected and guaranteed.
“To all the working people of Nigeria, the unemployed, the students, the traders, and all victims of insecurity, we alert you to this insidious plot. Do not be cowed. Do not be provoked. Our protest must remain peaceful, disciplined, and massive. Solidarity is our shield.
“Here is our iron-clad resolution as passed by the National Executive Council: Should a single worker, comrade, or citizen be harmed by these thugs or through escalated repression tomorrow, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not hesitate to declare an immediate, comprehensive, and indefinite nationwide strike.
“All wheels of production, all services, and every sector of the national economy will be shut down completely and indefinitely. When the ruling class moves to crush a peaceful protest against their failure, they unwittingly reveal their truly undemocratic tendencies.
“The message must be clear and without equivocation; 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”.
