Anambra NLC Takes to Streets in Protest Against Rising Insecurity

The Anambra State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday joined the nationwide protest organised by the national leadership of the union to draw attention to the worsening insecurity across the country. The peaceful rally, which had workers from various affiliated unions in attendance, commenced at about 11:05 a.m. at the NLC Secretariat near Regina Caeli Junction and terminated at the popular UNIZIK Junction in Awka.

Addressing protesters during the rally, the state Chairman of the NLC, Humphrey Nwafor, said the action was in compliance with a unanimous resolution of the National Executive Council of the Congress. He described the protest as a collective cry of anguish and a patriotic call to action, stressing that Nigerian workers could no longer remain silent amid persistent killings, kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, and other violent crimes threatening lives, livelihoods, and national cohesion.

Nwafor lamented that insecurity had spread across both rural and urban areas, leaving citizens uncertain of their safety at workplaces, on highways, farms, schools, markets, and even within their homes. He noted that as the umbrella body of Nigerian workers, the NLC considers the protection of lives and property fundamental to productivity, economic stability, and social progress, warning that no nation can sustain development or attract investment without guaranteeing the safety of its citizens.

According to him, workers are among the worst hit by the growing insecurity, with many losing colleagues, loved ones, and sources of livelihood. He added that businesses were shutting down, agricultural production declining, transportation costs rising, and inflationary pressures intensifying, largely as a result of the prevailing security challenges, leaving the working class and the poor to bear the heaviest burden of the crisis.

He emphasised that the protest was neither an act of hostility nor a confrontation with the government, but a constitutional and moral demand for urgent and coordinated action. The NLC called on the Federal Government to strengthen security efforts, adequately equip and support security personnel, and adopt more effective strategies, while reaffirming its commitment to peaceful engagement, national unity, and the struggle for a safer Nigeria. The protest followed similar demonstrations in Lagos, Abuja, and other states, and also highlighted broader labour concerns, including unresolved agreements, rising living costs, and the impact of insecurity on workers’ productivity and welfare.