The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted that planned rallies against the country’s current economic predicament will continue, despite a warning from the Department of State Services to halt them.
On Monday, organised labour began recruiting its members for a statewide demonstration on February 27 and 28 over the country’s cost of living problem.
According to sources, the Federal Government’s inability to fulfil its pledges following Labour’s 14-day ultimatum will result in a two-day statewide demonstration on February 27 and 28.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya requested the union put the scheduled protests on hold in the interest of peace and public order.
The Secret Service asked the union to engage in communication and negotiation rather than conduct that could escalate tensions.
However, in a statement released on Wednesday evening, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero stated that the protests will continue and questioned why the DSS had failed to execute the arrest of those preparing to disrupt them.
“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 N1,900 to the US Dollar.
“According to the Service, the planned protest should be shelved ‘in the interest of peace and public order’, presuming 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, they have not executed the arrest of these elements,” the NLC president said.
Ajaero noted that the NLC will not compromise the sovereignty or security of the country while assuring that the protests will be peaceful.
“We are equally intrigued by the innuendos of the Service, their philosophy of “peace,” and wild allegations, and we want to reassure them that no one loves this country more than us, and on our honour, we would never do anything that would compromise its sovereignty or security.
“Having said this, we would not have ourselves blackmailed or lied against by the Service. Our protest is a peaceful one against the unpardonable cost of living, of which the unserviced personnel of the service are also victims.
“We cannot fold our hands and pretend all is well. That will be a grievous conspiracy that history will not forgive,” he said.
