The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), today, kicked off its two-day nationwide protests over the prevailing economic hardship.
In Lagos State, the protesters began their march at the Ikeja under-bridge as they chanted solidarity songs and slogans.
The protesters were seen wielding placards with inscriptions such as End Poverty and Hunger, Support Local Industries, Fix Local Refineries End Subsidy, End Naira Devaluation, Tax the Rich Subsidise the poor, to make their grievances known on the current economic hardship across the country.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Adegoke Fayoade, and some operatives of the command were on the ground at the nation’s commercial capital to entertain the protesters.
Lagos Police Command also surprised members of the public as they distributed bottles of water and biscuit to protesters
Femi Falana, human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria was also sighted at the Lagos rally.
Singing and dancing with the protesters in Abuja NLC’s National President, Joe Ajaero, chanted “As e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us.”
Addressing journalists before the protest started, Ajaero said, “The government said we should not do rally. They used peaceful means and threats but we are in God’s hands.
“We are here for a rally so that Mr President will know how Nigerians feel and know where it is pinching us.”
The protest started from the Labour House Headquarters in Abuja at exactly 9:36 am.
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Protesters equally surrounded the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to express their grievances over the mounting economic hardships and the upward spiral of living costs.
Seen carrying different placards, they decried the state of the nation’s economy, chanting Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s name during the rally.
Scores of workers in Oyo State have joined their counterparts to partake in the rally.
The protest commenced from the NLC Secretariat located at Agodi Government Reserved Area and moved to other parts of Ibadan, the state capital
Some of the areas visited include Gate, Mokola, Total Garden and Oyo State Secretariat.
Governor Seyi Makinde who joined the protest said, “I am aware of the hardship in town and the difficulty the people are going through but I will be part of the generation that will fix the country.”
Meanwhile, amid claim that residents of South-Eastern States will jettison the NLC hardship protests against the Tinubu-led government, pictures of their rally have continued to emerge.
Pictures from Anambra State, the home state of the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, shows that citizens turned-out for the hardship protest.
Also, in Abia State, protesters are out in numbers.
Kano State recorded massive turnout as the protesters marched from Race Course To the State Government House.
Unions taking part in the protest include the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the FCT Council, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers and Construction Workers’ Union, among others.
