The Convener of the Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, has criticised the nationwide protest organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress over insecurity, describing the action as “selfish and unpatriotic”.
In a statement, Yakubu faulted the timing of the industrial action, recalling that the NLC remained silent in 2017 when bandit attacks claimed several lives across northern Nigeria, “but it is now that the military gains ground against terrorism that the union has called for a shutdown”.
He stated: “The NLC did not call for protests when bandits were killing people in the North in 2017. Now that the military is winning the war against terrorism, they go on strike. This is not fair in the eyes of right thinking Nigerians.”
Referring to the 2017 Sokoto massacre in which 76 people were reportedly killed in a single day, Yakubu said, “the North was not secure; it was the worst place to be in this country at that time. Yet, the NLC did not protest. Why now?”
The ATT convener noted that the NLC had pledged to carry out a peaceful and orderly protest, while calling on civil society organisations and citizens to join in “reclaiming national dignity and sanity from the grip of fear and violence”. He added that the union based its nationwide protest on what it described as a rise in kidnappings, banditry and terrorist activities.
Meanwhile, the NLC’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, described the protest as a “watershed moment” for Nigerians affected by insecurity, declaring: “Enough of the excuses and rhetoric, we want action.”
Despite its criticism of the protest, the ATT expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s renewed efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
“President Tinubu has taken decisive steps to confront the criminal elements that threaten our communities,” Yakubu said. “His administration’s recent surge in military operations, coupled with community engagement programmes, has already yielded tangible improvements in safety for countless citizens.”
Yakubu further commended the President for deploying additional troops to the troubled North-West, introducing a coordinated intelligence-sharing platform and approving emergency funding for displaced persons.
“These measures demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing the root causes of conflict, poverty, unemployment and lack of access to basic services,” he added.
The ATT called on Nigerians to support the President’s security strategy, urging the NLC and other labour unions to pursue constructive engagement rather than strikes.
“The nation cannot afford to be divided while the enemy exploits our differences,” the group warned.
