By Mark Ogagan
The Nigeria Police Force has sealed off the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) office in Lagos to prevent Tuesday’s nationwide protest against hunger and hardship.
The protest, scheduled by the NLC for February 27 and 28, is aimed to address the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
Activist and national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Hassan Taiwo, shared an image on Monday morning showing armed police personnel stationed in front of the NLC headquarters in the Yaba area of Lagos State.
According to Taiwo, a few comrades were sealed off in the building, uncertain about the developments awaiting them.
The NLC issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Nigerian government regarding widespread hardship, leading to organising the protest.
However, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urged the NLC to cancel the protest.
Despite warnings from the government and concerns from other quarters, the NLC insisted that the protest would proceed as planned.
It accused the government of preparing to attack peaceful rallies and alleged the involvement of certain groups in causing violence against protesters.
The NLC President, in a statement, emphasised the right to peaceful protest and warned against suppressing dissent or inflicting violence on peaceful protesters.
The statement also mentioned the potential deployment of state-sponsored terror and expressed the NLC’s determination to proceed with the protest.
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