The National Labour Congress has threatened to shutdown the nation if its people are attack during the proposed protest coming up on the 28th February, 2024, against economic hardship and insecurity in the country.
In a statement released by the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero on Sunday tittled “As the State Prepares to Unleash Violence on Us”, stating that the State has perfected plans to attack peaceful rallies taking place across the country.
The NLC planned protest against the unprecedented high cost of living in spite what it called the indescribable suffering in the country, spiralling inflation, deepening poverty and the Naira at an exchange rate to the US Dollar.
The organised labour claimed that a group called Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF), saying this group is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against its members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.
According to the President, “We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens.
“As the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger. It does not lie in the deployment of State -sponsored terror. The pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas”.
Ajaero added that the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society allies are moving ahead with its protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the National Executive Council.
“As citizens, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and history bears us witness that our protests are always peaceful except in instances of State-engineered violence.
The organised labour advised the State to put on its thinking cap and find solutions to the pains it continues to cause the people instead of further dehumanising them.
“However, if it is irrevocably set on the path of violence against us and other peace-loving Nigerians, it will be making a costly mistake because if we are attacked there will be a total shut down via withdrawal of services by workers.
“Let no one be deceived, we and other deprived Nigerians cannot easily be intimidated. Lest those in power now who may have forgotten be reminded, we faced a more resourceful and resilient adversary in order to have democracy.
“All we are saying now is that; let there be food for the people, let the people live in safety, let the people live a life of dignity devoid of suffocating IMF/World Bank economic policies”.
The President warned those waiting in the wings to unleash violence that this is not about the NLC but about Nigerians who are saying “enough is enough”, about people who have resolved not to be further pushed into the pit of misery and hopelessness, while a few live in obscene luxury at their collective expense.
While calling the attention of the international human rights body and the governments of the African Union and the United Nations that the right of the people to peacefully protest and demand for freedom from economic slavery and hardship is being threatened by the Nigerian State.