The Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, joined workers across the country in a peaceful protest to register their condemnation of the current worsening security situation confronting Nigeria.
The state NLC Chairman, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, who led the protest march, said the leadership never met with the president (Bola Tinubu).
“The forum of state governors invited the NLC leadership at the national level, but why yesterday (Tuesday)? This notice was out before now, why not earlier? This is just a kind of awareness and telling the government at all levels to wake up to protect life and properties of all Nigerians. The insecurity in Nigeria is getting higher on a daily basis and we can’t watch this,” he stressed.
The NLC decried the rising wave of banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other criminal activities, warning that the persistent insecurity poses a serious threat to lives, livelihoods and national stability.
“Mr President only called them trying to avert the protest. Still, because the protest is a nationwide one. We can’t avert it overnight. So, that was the reason why the protest is now ongoing all over the country.
“The most important thing is that we are protesting against insecurity. The meeting of Mr President cannot avert that one, their meeting cannot stop the bandits from kidnapping our people so we just have to tell them they paid to get this job.
“They should work for Nigerian people. Nigerians deserve the best security of life and prosperity is a constitutional matter. It is our law that says the government must protect the life and prosperity of the citizens then the welfare of the citizens. If you can’t secure the people then how are you going to provide the welfare for them. We just have to tell the president that enough is enough.
“We tell the governor of this state too that the closure of the regional office of Amotekun is uncalled for. If there is any bad egg within Amotekun remove them if you see somebody that committed an offence please prosecute them but closing that office is not the solution to that problem.
“Today we cannot sleep with our two eyes closed anymore in Osun. Osun is one of the most secure states in Nigeria. We don’t want any unnecessary precautions in our state.
“The governor should make sure they reinforce the local security network Amotekun the hunters and all other local security outfit they should empower them they will monitor all our borders all our neighbourhood they will be able to discover if we have a strange movement in our communities the governor of Osun they should not sleep with their eyes closed He knows that he is the chief security of Osun state and he should work for the people of Osun the people of Osun don’t want banditry, kidnappers we don’t want criminals In Osun,” , the Chairman Osun State Coalition of Civil Society, Comrade Dr Waheed Lawal, said.
Similarly, the Osun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chairman, Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu, said, “My position is that government should work on security to ensure security of lives and property and promote the welfare of citizenry to make life bearable for Nigerians.”
According to Ajadosu, the nationwide protest was directed by the national leadership of the NLC as a show of solidarity with victims of insecurity and a call for urgent, decisive action by all tiers of government.
The Osun NUJ Chairman, stressed that organised labour could no longer remain silent while citizens are exposed to daily threats, emphasising that security remains the foundation for development, social justice and sustainable economic progress.