No going back! NLC solidarity rally holds today as police warn hoodlums

The nationwide protest organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress in solidarity with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities is taking place today.

The police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps say they will deploy personnel in critical infrastructure and facilities in response to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

As security agencies moved to deploy their men and officers, the NLC on Monday directed workers in state capitals and Abuja to join the protest.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, declined comment on the deployment but the Commissioners of Police in Ebonyi and Gombe and the police spokespersons in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Plateau, Ogun, Osun and Gombe confirmed that their men would be at the rally grounds.

Also, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence spokesperson, Shola Odumosu, said armed and unarmed personnel would be on the ground to protect the protesters and Nigerians.

He said, “We understand that at times like this, thugs would want to take advantage and launch their attacks. Among those we will be deploying apart from the armed and unarmed personnel are men from our intelligence department.”

The NLC had said the protest would hold at all the state capitals today while the mega rally would take place in Abuja on Wednesday to pressurise the Federal Government to meet ASUU’s demands.

About 40 NLC affiliates, including aviation, bank, oil and gas, electricity and construction workers are expected to participate in the protest.

Recall that ASUU shut all public universities and commenced its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022, after the Federal Government failed to meet some of its demands including the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had last Wednesday declared the protest illegal, saying the NLC had no dispute with the government.

The Head, Information and Public Affairs of the NLC, Mr Benson Upah, in an interview with The Punch on Monday, said the rally would hold as planned.

The Federal Capital Territory police command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, gave the assurance that the command would deploy men to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.

She said, “For every protest, we always deploy (personnel), so our normal deployment would be on. We would be there to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order. We would be there to apprehend anyone who goes against the law. They (NLC) have informed us they will be coming out.”

Giving an update on the mode of the protest, the Head of Information and Public Affairs, NLC, Upah, said the rally would be held at all the state capitals across the federation.

Asked if all workers were expected to take part in the street protest, he said, ‘’Oh sure. Why not? You know there is a difference between a rally and a strike. What we are doing is a rally. It’s different from a strike.

The General Secretary, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers, Afolabi Olawale, said members of the union were set for the exercise.

Afolabi, however, explained that the workers would not withdraw their services.
Also, the Deputy Secretary General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Oniha Erazua, disclosed that his union would join the rally.

Asked if the aviation workers would be on the streets in support of ASUU, the General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Aba Ocheme, stated, “Yes, we will be joining the public protest. Other aviation groups that are NLC affiliates will be joining the protest.

However, the President of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association, Abayomi Agoro, said the body was awaiting directives to join the protest.

Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions have been directed to gather at the Ikeja underbridge for the rally.

Lagos State ASUU and SSANU chairmen, Dr Dele Ashiru and Mr Olushola Showunmi, respectively,said the take-off point would be 7.30 am at Ikeja, adding that they would march peacefully to the Lagos State Governor’s office at Alausa.

The Lagos State Chairman of the NLC, Mrs Funmi Sessi, urged Lagos residents to take part in the protest.