The Nigeria Labour Congress has insisted that the planned protests against the prevailing economic situation in the country will hold contrary to the warning issued by the Department of State Services to shelve its protests.
On Monday, the organised labour began mobilising its members for a nationwide protest slated for February 27 and 28 over the cost of living crisis in the country.
Reacting to the planned protests in a statement on Wednesday, the DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, urged the union to shelve the plan in the interest of peace and public order, while calling for dialogue and negotiation rather than engage in conduct that could heighten tensions.
However, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a statement signed on Wednesday, said the protests will still hold and questioned why the DSS had yet to execute the arrest of those planning to disrupt the protests.
“We are concerned by the unsolicited advice of the Department of State Security to shelve our planned protest against the unprecedented high cost of living despite the indescribable suffering in the land, spiralling inflation, deepening poverty and the Naira at an exchange rate of ₦1,900 to the U.S. Dollar.
“According to the Service, the planned protest should be shelved ‘in the interest of peace and public order’, pre-supposing that the action is intended to be violent and disruptive even when we have a history of peaceful protests’.
“More worrying is the new role the Service has assigned to itself, the chief spokesperson of the government.
“We are equally worried that although the “Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence and yet have not executed the arrest of these elements,” the NLC president said.
Ajaero vowed that the NLC will not compromise the sovereignty or security of the country while assuring that the protests would be peaceful.
