Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday protested nationwide over the biting economic hardship in the country.
Labour and Federal Government authorities had met Monday in a late push to stop the protests, but the meeting ended with no agreement reached between the parties.
As early as 7:00 am, protesters started gathering in different parts of the country, bearing placards and putting on the paraphernalia of the NLC.
03:13 pm: The protests have ended in some parts of the country but it is unclear as of now if the demonstrations will continue tomorrow (Wednesday).
02:01 pm: The protests are still going across the country.
Members of the organised labour participate in a peaceful march to protest against poor economic conditions in Owerri.#ImoState#NLCProtest#EndHungerProtest#CostOfLivingCrisis pic.twitter.com/xsdChUlb6f
01:13 pm: NLC protest in Akwa Ibom State is also ongoing.
12:58 pm: In Yobe state, members of the NLC also protested against the high cost of living and carried diverse banners with several inscriptions to drum home their points.
12:30 pm: Katsina NLC Joins Nationwide Protests
The Katsina State Branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday joined the two-day nationwide peaceful protests over economic hardship in the country.
According to the Katsina State NLC Chairman Hussaini Yanduna who led all the affiliates in the protest, the country is facing a lot of economic difficulties with serious hardship.
12:20 pm: Workers In Ebonyi Join Peaceful Protest
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ebonyi State has joined their counterparts across the country in the protest against the high cost of living and economic hardship in Nigeria.
They converged as early as 8 am at the Pa Oruta Ngele Stadium in Abakaliki, the state capital, where they took off round the streets with the heavy presence of security operatives to ensure that there was no break of law and order.
According to the state chairman of the NLC Ogugua Egwu, while addressing newsmen, the high of cost living is biting hard on the residents which has prompted the protest against the economic hardship in the country.
12:10 am: Workers in a peaceful march in Abia State against poor economic conditions in the country.
11:33 am: The NLC Taraba State chapter is holding a protest without procession. It threatened to shut down the state if demands were not met.
11:26 am: Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State is calling on workers in the state to engage in farming and trading. He spoke while addressing NLC members who were protesting in the state, noting that the hardship facing the country requires thinking outside the box.
11:22 am: Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has addressed the protesters in Ibadan.
11:07 am: Protesters in Sokoto State have joined the nationwide demonstration organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and its affiliate unions across the country.
11:03 am: Under intense security, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have staged a peaceful protest in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, calling on the government to address the high cost of living in Nigeria.
Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the protesters gathered around the NLC Secretariat on Aba Road, Umuahia, the Abia State capital, protesting the government’s alleged failure to implement agreements reached between both parties on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
10:56 am: Police distribute water and biscuits to protesters in Lagos.
10: 48 am: Protesters have also converged in Enugu to join other NLC members across the country in a demonstration against hardship.
10:27 am: In Abuja, the protesters are entering the National Assembly. Unlike previous protests, the gates of the NASS are thrown open, as the protesters enter without resistance from security personnel.
10:26 am: The NLC members in Niger State have joined their counterparts across the country to protest what they describe as rising inflation and hunger Nigerians a faced with.
The NLC chairman in Niger State Idris Lafene while leading members to the premises of the Niger State House of Assembly, said members continue to grapple with the negative consequences of banditry and other forms of criminalities.
While receiving them, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly Abdulmalik Sarkindaji commended the protesters. He informed them that the state House of Assembly had also suspended plenary during the period of protest as a show of solidarity. The protesters move along major roads in Minna bearing different placards with inscriptions such as “Stop Hunger,” “Stop Robbing the Poor: Tax the Rich,” “Support Local Manufacturers” etc.
10:25 am: Members of NLC in Osun State are protesting against economic hardship in Nigeria. The protesters are gathered under the Olaiya Bridge in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
10:05 am: NLC protest in progress in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
9:48 am: Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Imo State are gathering at the Labour House in Owerri the state capital for an onward march to the Government House to present their demands to the government. The Imo State Commissioner for Police Danjuma Aboki is on the ground with his men to ensure the protest is not hijacked and to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
9:46 am: Members of the NLC Bauchi State Council are set to begin protest. The crowd has improved significantly, and members are warming up to hit the streets any moment from now.
9:43 am: Protesters are thronging out of the NLC Secretariat in Abuja.
9:43 am: The NLC protest in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital just kicked off.
9:14 am: From the NLC Secretariat, members of the labour union proceeded on a street protest, walking along the popular Independence Way in the Kaduna State capital. Singing and carrying placards and banners with various inscriptions, the workers say not even a threat by the government can deter them from registering their displeasure over the poor economic situation in the country. They are asking the government to urgently address the rising inflation, insecurity and high cost of food and other items before the situation gets out of hand.
9:10 am: Union members with the NLC, NUT, NURTW, etc are assembling at the National Museum ground in Benin City, the Edo State capital in preparation for the protest.
8:57 am: Members of organized labour have begun gathering at the Race Course in Kano State to protest against economic hardship.
8:57 am: Members of the Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) converged at the union’s state secretariat for the NLC protest. Ahead of the demonstration, security has been beefed up around the state capital to avert any breakdown of law and order. The protest is led by the Kaduna State NLC chairman Ayuba Suleiman.
8:50 am: Security is stationed in front of the NLC office in Bauchi where the protest will take off from. People are still arriving in the office but the number of people here is not significant for now.
8:43 am: In Oyo State, NLC members were gathered at the union’s secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan. The protest is yet to start but workers are trickling in at the moment.
8:24 am: Members of the Ogun State chapter of the NLC gathered for the protest at their state office in Abeokuta, the state capital.
8:14 am: NLC members are preparing for the protest in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The take-off point is the secretariat take-off. Some NLC exco members are around alongside the police.
7:44 am: In Lagos State, the protesters gathered at the Ikeja under the bridge area amid heavy security presence.
The NLC has also been joined by some other unions like the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) among others.
The unions hold the rally moving from the convergence point in Ikeja to the State House of Assembly in Alausa.
The police manned every major junction along the three-kilometre planned route.
