By Shishang John
February 27, 2024
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have started protests in several parts of the country over the biting economic hardship.
Labour and Federal Government authorities had met yesterday in a late push to stop the protest, but the meeting ended with no agreement reached between the parties.
As early as 7:00 am, protesters started gathering in different parts of the country, bearing placards and putting on the paraphernalia of the NLC.
In Lagos State, the protesters gathered at the Ikeja under the bridge area amid heavy security presence.
The NLC has also been joined by some other unions like the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) among others.
The unions are expected to hold the rally moving from the convergence point in Ikeja to the State House of Assembly in Alausa.
The police have manned every major junction along the three-kilometre planned route.
Apart from Lagos, NLC members are preparing for the protest in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The take-off point is the secretariat take-off. Some NLC exco members are around alongside the police.
Protesters are trickling in in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Their take-off point is the NLC secretariat in Agodi.
It is a similar situation in Bauchi as the protesting workers are arriving at the NLC office where the demonstration is expected to take off. Security operatives are also on the ground in the area. In another northern state – Kano – protesters have begun gathering at the Race Course.
Kaduna, Edo and Ogun state NLC members are also preparing to begin the protest and have gathered at designated centres.
Security has been beefed up in these states to avert a breakdown of law and order.
