๐๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐กโ โ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday staged a nationwide protest to draw attention to the countryโs worsening security situation, declaring that Nigerians have reached a breaking point after years of unchecked violence, kidnappings and banditry.
The protest, led by NLC president Joe Ajaero, was organised to pressure the government to take urgent and decisive action against insecurity, which the labour union said has continued to claim lives, cripple livelihoods and undermine public confidence across the country.
Speaking earlier in Gombe, Ajaero said the scale of insecurity in Nigeria has become a national emergency, affecting citizens regardless of their social status or profession. He warned that persistent violence is hurting the economy and discouraging both local and foreign investment.
Public affairs analyst Jide Ojo, who expressed support for the protest, described the action as long overdue, noting that Nigerian workers and their families have been among the worst hit by the crisis.
According to him, several workers have been kidnapped, maimed or killed in recent attacks, citing incidents in Maga, Kebbi State, and Papiri, Niger State, where teachers and school staff were victims during mass abductions of students.
Ojo said insecurity has forced many farmers to abandon their farms, contributing to rising food prices, while others have relocated to urban centres in search of safety, worsening unemployment and economic hardship.
He added that beyond economic losses, insecurity has taken a serious toll on public health, with increasing cases of trauma, anxiety, hypertension and other stress-related illnesses in affected communities.
The analyst also linked Nigeriaโs growing wave of emigration, popularly known as โjapa,โ to the unsafe environment, noting that many professionals and business owners have relocated abroad primarily in search of security.
As the festive season approaches, Ojo lamented that many Nigerians are unable to travel to see loved ones due to fear of kidnapping and violence on major highways.
He called on leaders at all levels of government to move beyond promises and rhetoric, stressing that citizens have a right to safety and dignity.
โWe have no other country,โ he said, urging the government to make Nigeria safe and livable for all.
