The Nigeria Labour Congress has scheduled a nationwide protest for December 17 to press the government to tackle the country’s worsening security crisis.

NLC President Joe Ajaero announced the protest while speaking to journalists in Gombe on Saturday after meeting with Governor Inuwa Yahaya on labour matters. Ajaero said the protest aims to draw attention to how insecurity now affects every Nigerian, including workers who face daily threats of kidnapping and violence.

He described banditry and violent crimes as alien to Nigerian culture and called for collective action to reverse the dangerous trend. “Our planned protest is to call attention to the impact of insecurity on investors and workers, who are kidnapped daily and sometimes killed,” Ajaero said.

He also cited a recent incident in Kebbi State where a teacher was killed and children of workers were kidnapped. “So we are asking the government to help fish out the perpetrators and put an end to this menace,” he added.

Ajaero warned that insecurity is damaging Nigeria’s economy and making it difficult to attract both local and foreign investors. He said the protest would also reassure government that Nigerians support decisive action against criminals. “Government should know their hands are being strengthened to do the needful because Nigerians are saying this is wrong and must stop,” he stated.

He also explained that workers suffer severely when kidnapped because they often lack ransom money and must borrow or beg to survive.

“It is important for workers to join the call to end insecurity, unless the government wants to give us security allowance to pay ransom,” Ajaero said. He added that since workers lack weapons to fight criminals, protest remains their only voice to reach Nigerians and the international community.

Beyond security concerns, Ajaero urged the government to expand social safety nets for workers, saying minimum wage alone cannot ease hardship without additional support. He added that kidnapping for ransom undermines national values and weakens social cohesion across the country.