The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued a strong warning over the rising insecurity across the country, threatening a nationwide directive for workers to stay away from their workplaces if the Federal Government fails to address the worsening situation.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said workers are increasingly putting their lives on the line just to report for duty, adding that organised labour may be forced to adopt a stay-at-home action as a means of survival rather than a formal strike.
His remarks came as the Senate moved to accelerate consideration of a constitutional amendment bill seeking the creation of state police, a proposal lawmakers hope to pass and transmit to state assemblies within the week.
According to Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, growing support from key stakeholders, including the Presidency and state governors, has strengthened momentum for decentralised policing as a response to Nigeria’s deepening security crisis. He also noted that the proposal has been separated from other constitutional amendment bills to fast-track its passage.
Meanwhile, reports of escalating violence underscored the insecurity concerns, with armed bandits abducting 39 residents of Magamin Diddi community in Zamfara State during a reconciliation mission in a forested area.
Authorities said the victims, mostly elders, were lured into a peace meeting with relatives of a suspected bandit leader before they were seized by armed men who later arrived at the scene.
Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that a rescue operation has been launched and intelligence-based efforts are ongoing to locate the abducted victims.
In a related development, the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) condemned reported demands by kidnappers operating in Oyo State, including claims that the release of abducted schoolchildren was tied to the implementation of Sharia law in the South-West.
However, the abducted principal of the affected school later dismissed the reports in a video message, insisting that such conditions were misrepresented and warning against misinformation that could jeopardise rescue efforts.
She explained that the abductors’ main demand remains the release of detained members of their group, while urging authorities and the public to exercise caution in handling information about the case.
The developments highlight growing national concern over insecurity, with labour unions, lawmakers, security agencies and community leaders all pushing for urgent measures to curb violence and restore public safety across the country.