The solidarity protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commenced in Lagos as members gathered at Ikeja, preparatory to the protest in support of striking staff unions in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Chairman of the NLC in Lagos, Funmi Sessi and other Union leaders have occupied a section of the Ikeja under bridge.
Members of the various unions are displaying placards with three big banners with different inscriptions.
The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police have mobilized its personnel, numbering over hundred.
The Command has deployed its operatives around the Ikeja under bridge, venue of the protest in Lagos.
The Lagos NLC on Monday called on members and civil society groups in the state to come out en-masse on Tuesday morning to begin the two-day protest in solidarity with striking lecturers.
The chairman of NLC said: “We will be converging as early as 6:30 a.m. at Ikeja and take off by 7.00 a.m. to deliver a letter to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Alausa. The protest is to support ASUU in the ongoing strike, so we call on all affiliate members to come out en masse.”
The NLC had scheduled Tuesday July 26 and Wednesday July 27, as National Days of Protest across the country in solidarity with striking varsity members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
Labour said the protest would hold at all the State capitals, while the mega rally would take place in Abuja to pressure the Federal Government to meet ASUU’s demands.
About 40 NLC affiliates, including aviation, bank, oil and gas, electricity, construction workers and power holding companies are expected to participate in the protest.The Nigerian Labour Congress has called on all its affiliate union to come enmasse to protest in support of members of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) who had been on strike since February 14, 2022.
Also, workers in the power sector under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) confirmed at the weekend that they would join the nationwide protest.
The protest is coming amid security threats across the country as the terrots, bandits and other criminals continue their havoc in many States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The FCT police command said arrangements have been put in place to deploy officers in all the protest areas to avert security breach.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The command is aware of the security situation in the country, particularly here in FCT, so officers will be mobilized to ensure safety of lives and properties during the protest.”
