The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) launched a nationwide protest on Wednesday, December 17, against the escalating insecurity across the country. This action proceeded despite a late-night meeting on Tuesday between President Bola Tinubu and NLC leaders, where the president appealed to them to reconsider their plans. NLC President Joe Ajaero confirmed that the protest would go ahead as planned, stating that the meeting did not result in its cancellation and that the union would deliberate internally before announcing outcomes on Wednesday, December 17.

NLC members, joined by civil society allies like the Revolution Now Movement's Omoyele Sowore, converged in various states including Enugu, Abuja, Lagos, Ekiti, Cross River, Zamfara, and Plateau. Protesters chanted solidarity songs and carried placards with powerful inscriptions such as “End insecurity now,” “Nigeria is bleeding,” “end banditry, terrorism and kidnapping now,” “Security and Safety our fundamental rights,” “Stop the killings,” “Federal government no more excuses and rhetoric! End insecurity now,” and “Poverty Fuels Insecurity.”

Labour leaders across the states voiced strong concerns about the pervasive insecurity. Fabian Nwigbo, NLC Chairperson in Enugu State, articulated the collective pain of Nigerian workers, emphasizing that “Our school children are not safe; the teachers are not safe. The farmers are not safe, the workers are not safe. Travellers are not safe. Even the political class. Nobody is safe anywhere.” He stressed that the government's primary duty is to ensure the security of lives and property, a responsibility he feels is currently unfulfilled, leading to the country “bleeding.”

In Abuja, Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, Ismaila Bello, highlighted the “enormous damage” caused by insecurity, forcing teachers and pupils out of schools and residents from their communities into IDP camps. He demanded that the government fish out perpetrators and their sponsors for prosecution, suggesting a death sentence for sponsors of banditry and kidnapping. Bello also mentioned that NLC President Joe Ajaero and other executives were engaging with state governors and local government authorities concerning the subject of the protest to press for improved security. Uche Ekwe, NLC’s head of International Affairs, also called for the prosecution of those funding terrorism.

Similar sentiments were echoed in Ekiti State by NLC Chairman Comrade Kolapo Olatunde, who described the continued loss of lives and property as unacceptable. He urged the Federal and State Governments to take urgent and decisive steps, calling for better-equipped security agencies, improved intelligence gathering, and community-based security measures. Comrade Oluseyi Olatunde of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Ekiti emphasized the need for a proactive and coordinated approach, warning of worsening socio-economic conditions if inaction persists.

In Cross River State, NLC Chairman Comrade Greg Olayi declared that workers are no longer safe even in their workplaces, with citizens living in constant fear. He reiterated that the protest was about the safety and survival of all Nigerians, not just workers' welfare, and called on leaders to fulfill their constitutional responsibility to guarantee security and welfare. The Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Raymond Afu, described the protest as a call to conscience, urging governments at both sub-national and national levels to take decisive steps to restore peace and stability.

Zamfara State NLC Chairperson Comrade Sani Halliru presented a letter to Governor Dauda Lawal, lamenting how insecurity had crippled various sectors in the state, despite its potential in mining, farming, and agricultural production. He expressed the union’s deep concern over the growing security challenges, particularly in Zamfara, which has significantly endangered the lives and livelihoods of workers nationwide. Governor Lawal acknowledged the maturity and patriotism of the peaceful protest, reaffirming his state's commitment to collaborate with national authorities to restore peace, and noting the challenge has touched every sector of society.

Plateau State NLC Chairman Eugene Manji expressed dismay over the “existential threat” posed by insecurity, urging the Office of the National Security Adviser to urgently improve coordination and deploy modern surveillance tools to track criminal networks. He questioned why criminals seemed more intelligent than security agencies and highlighted the prolonged closure of schools in Plateau due to insecurity, which he warned aligned with extremist agendas. Manji stressed that insecurity affects all Nigerians regardless of creed and called for decisive action against a “common enemy.”

Throughout the demonstrations, security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), were deployed to the protest areas, ensuring the peaceful conduct of the rallies. The NLC's stance remained firm: the government must prioritize security, improve the welfare of security personnel, and engage relevant stakeholders to address the root causes of insecurity to restore public confidence and protect Nigerian lives and property.