The Nigeria Police Force has deployed special forces and tactical teams across the country ahead of the nationwide protest organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress today.
State police commands confirmed on Tuesday that officers and equipment have been positioned in strategic locations to ensure the protest remains peaceful and is not hijacked by hoodlums or political thugs.
The NLC has insisted that it will go ahead with the protest, which it described as a National Day of Protest and Mourning over rising insecurity, economic hardship and unresolved labour issues.
Speaking on the planned action, the spokesperson of the NLC, Benson Upah, said the congress would not back down.
“We are going on with the protest across the country,” Upah said.
He warned that any attempt to disrupt the protest or attack participants could trigger a nationwide indefinite strike.
In a statement on Tuesday, Upah said the union had received intelligence reports suggesting that some groups might try to infiltrate or violently disrupt the rallies.
“Our action tomorrow is not just a mere procession; it is a collective act of grief, a roar of despair from the oppressed, and a democratic demand for the fundamental right to life and security,” the statement read.
“Any attack on our protest will be an attack on the very engine of Nigeria. The consequence will be an escalation and a total shutdown,” the union warned.
The NLC said the protest goes beyond labour demands, stressing that it is a civic action meant to draw attention to insecurity, rising cost of living, poverty and governance failures.
The union also recalled recent attacks, including the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State on November 17, 2025, during which two school staff were killed.
“The surge in kidnappings targeting schoolchildren has reached an alarming and unacceptable level,” the NLC said in a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council meeting earlier this month.
The congress urged workers, students, traders and citizens to remain peaceful and disciplined during the protest, adding, “Solidarity is our shield.”
It also called on the police to protect the constitutional right of Nigerians to peaceful assembly.
Meanwhile, police authorities across several states said they are fully prepared.
In Benue State, the Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, said tactical teams had been deployed across major areas.
“The command has deployed tactical teams all around major areas of the state to ensure that the planned protest by the labour union is not hijacked by hoodlums,” Edet said.
In Jigawa State, police spokesman Shi’isu Adam said officers had been deployed to secure protest routes.
“We’ve deployed adequate personnel to monitor and secure the protest routes,” he said.
The Sokoto State Police Command said it had met with labour leaders to ensure orderliness. Its spokesman, Ahmed Rufai, said officers were on alert.
“We have received their assurance that the protest will be orderly,” Rufai said.
In Imo State, police spokesman Henry Okoye said the command had deployed what he described as “maximum security.”
“There is nothing to worry about. The command has deployed watertight security to prevent any breach of law and order,” he said.
Bayelsa State police said both tactical units and drones would be used. The command’s spokesman, Musa Mohammed, said, “The CP has directed that tactical units will be deployed to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the protest. The drone units will also be deployed.”
In Kano State, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, met with labour leaders ahead of the protest. Police spokesman Abdullahi Haruna said the engagement was to ensure peace.
“The command has put in place necessary measures to ensure that nobody uses the protest to cause trouble,” Haruna said.
Similar assurances were given by police commands in Gombe, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom and Kwara states, where officers were deployed to strategic locations with enhanced patrols and intelligence-led surveillance.
In Kwara State, the police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said officers would protect citizens’ rights while maintaining law and order.
“The command is committed to protecting the rights of citizens to peaceful assembly while preventing a breakdown of law and order,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Workers Forum and the Joint Aviation Trade Unions Forum have both declared support for the protest.
“This protest is not for workers alone; it is a duty for our collective survival,” the Federal Workers Forum said in a statement.
The aviation unions, however, assured that airport operations would not be disrupted.
“It’s a peaceful protest. It’s not a strike,” said Nnadi Hector, Secretary of the Joint Aviation Trade Unions Forum.
The protest comes amid growing concerns over insecurity and poverty, with a recent World Bank report estimating that about 139 million Nigerians are currently living in poverty.
