This is the current protest thread for NLC.
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Today’s NLC march is in support, but police are warning hoodlums.
In reaction to the statewide demonstration called by the Nigeria Labour Congress in support of the on strike Academic Staff Union of Universities taking place on Tuesday, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps would deploy personnel in crucial infrastructure and institutions (today).
The Nigeria Labour Congress gave workers in state capitals and Abuja instructions on Monday to join the demonstration as security agencies moved to deploy their men and officers.
Police officers will be stationed at all protest locations across the country to prevent a security breach or a thugs attack on the protesters, according to a top source at the Force Headquarters in Abuja who confirmed the news to The PUNCH on Monday.
The police source responded, “We will deploy our troops without a doubt; that is regular practise. It is our responsibility to protect the security of people and things during any type of public demonstration or gathering. The unions and other Nigerians cannot be prevented from staging rallies or peaceful protests.
Muyiwa Adejobi, the Force’s public relations officer, declined to comment on the deployment, but the police commissioners in Ebonyi and Gombe, as well as the police spokespersons in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Plateau, Ogun, Osun, and Gombe, told our reporters that their departments had been deployed
Additionally, the demonstrators and Nigerians would be protected by armed and unarmed people, according to Shola Odumosu, the spokesperson for Nigeria Security and Civil Defence.
We understand that at times like this, thugs would want to seize the opportunity and start their attacks, the man continued. Men from our intelligence branch will be sent in addition to armed and unarmed personnel.
In order to put pressure on the Federal Government to accede to ASUU’s demands, the NLC had announced that protests will take place in all of the state capitals today and during the major event on Wednesday in Abuja.
A total of 40 NLC affiliates, including employees from the banking, oil and gas, electrical, and aviation industries, are anticipated to take part in the demonstration.
After the FG failed to meet some of its demands, including the release of revitalization 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, ASUU had closed all public universities and started its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022.
Last Wednesday, Lai Mohammed, the minister of information, deemed the protest illegal and said that the NLC had no issues with the government.
The following day, Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, issued a similar warning against the rally after learning from the Department of State Services that it would be taken over by criminals.
The NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Mr. Benson Upah, reaffirmed that the rally would take place as scheduled in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the Federal Capital Territory police command, Josephine Adeh assured the public that men would be sent out to ensure that peace and order would not break down.
“We always deploy (people) for protests, so our regular deployment would be in effect,” she said. In order to prevent a collapse in law and order, we would be present. Anyone who violates the law will be arrested by us. The NLC has told us that they will be appearing.
Police warn hoodlums
The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, Garba Aliyu, said his men would deal decisively with “perpetrators of actions not in conformity with the law’’ during the rally.
Speaking in a telephone interview on Monday, the police boss said, “We are always there to protect lives and property and we will not allow anybody to do anything that will infringe on other people’s rights. So, whatever they are going to do, must be done within the confines of the law.
“Security is well in place and from what we are seeing or envisaging, there’s nothing that will cause a breach of peace. If they plan to hold rallies, let it be done within the ambit of the law; but if on the contrary, our men will deal with them decisively.’’
Speaking on the security arrangement for the protest, the Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Ishola Babaita, pledged to provide protection for union leaders and other participants during the rally.
Speaking on Monday, in an interview with journalists, Babaita urged the unions to organise themselves in a lawful manner.
He said, “We will give them the necessary security covering but they should not allow hoodlums to hijack the protest. We can’t stop them but we will make sure they are guided.”
The Spokesman for the state Police Command, Alabo Alfred, said that officers and men of the command had been deployed in the strategic locations, including the protest venue to prevent a breakdown of law and order during the protest.
A spokesperson for the Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said a meeting was held with the labour leaders in the state to ensure that the protest was peaceful.
According to her, police operatives have been assigned to monitor the protesters and follow them through the routes that have been already indicated, adding that other security measures have also been put in place to protect public infrastructure during the protest.
The Ogun State Police Command assured residents of the state of their safety during and after the protest.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Oyeyemi said, ‘“The command hereby appeals to the general public to go about their lawful business without fear of intimidation or harassment, as the police and other security agencies will be fully on the ground to monitor the situation so as to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the process.’’
