Police Reportedly Seal Off NLC Office As Major Protests Break Out In Lagos, Edo

The Nigeria Police Force has today sealed off the Lagos office of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to prevent the planned nationwide protest against hunger and hardship in the country.

This was revealed via Twitter by an activist and national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Hassan Taiwo.

Meanwhile, the efforts have yielded no positive results as citizens have defied the warnings and trooped out to the streets to protest the striking economic hardship in the country.

The Lagos state police command has, however, refuted the information.

In a tweet sent out by the force PRO in Lagos, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command stated that the police’s presence was to ensure adequate security for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and prevent their procession from being hijacked by hoodlums.

The statement further mentioned that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, addressed the protesters before their procession took off in his presence and the procession has so far been peaceful without any untoward incident.

In Edo state, the civil Society Organisations have stormed the streets of Benin City, the state capital.

The protest followed the current economic hardship currently affecting Nigerians.

Members of the CSOs carried various placards such as “End Economic Hardship”, “FG End the Hunger in Nigeria Now,” among many others to state their grievances.

The Benin protest is coming after Ibadan residents protested against economic hardship

In anticipation of the upcoming organized labour protest set to commence on Tuesday, the ‘Take It Back Movement’, a human rights group, has initiated a nationwide demonstration in Lagos State to address the prevailing economic hardships in the country.

This protest was held against the warning issued by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, on Sunday.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has vowed to also stage a protest beginning tomorrow.

On February 16, the NLC announced the nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday over the alleged government’s failure to implement agreements reached between both parties on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

The decision followed the conclusion of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to implement measures against the widespread hardship.

@PoliceNG has sealed off d NLC subheadquarter at Yaba Lagos to prevent d JAF & CORE #EndHungerProtest from taking place. A few comrades are sealed off in the building and do not know what lies in store for them. Please let's retweet @NLCHeadquarters @PremiumTimesng #Coup #Dollar pic.twitter.com/e0HlFb8vID

— Hassan Taiwo Soweto (@HTSoweto) February 26, 2024