The Nigeria Police Force, ahead of nationwide protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has mobilised special forces and tactical teams to ensure a violence‑free demonstration, state commands said on Tuesday.
In separate interviews with Punch, police spokespersons confirmed their preparedness to tackle miscreants and political hirelings who may seek to disrupt the rallies.
The NLC has maintained that it will not retract its planned nationwide protests, which were called in response to escalating insecurity and other labour issues.
When asked if the union had mobilised its affiliate unions for the rallies, the NLC’s spokesperson, Benson Upah, stated, “We are going on with the protest across the country.”
He warned that any attempt to interfere with today’s National Day of Protest and Mourning could trigger a nationwide indefinite strike.
Upah said the union had received intelligence suggesting that unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings might try to infiltrate or violently disrupt the demonstrations.
He added that harming even a single worker or citizen would spark “an immediate and indefinite shutdown across all sectors of the economy.”
“Our action tomorrow is not just a mere procession; it is a collective act of grief, a roar of despair from the oppressed, and a democratic demand for the fundamental right to life and security,” the statement read.
“Any attack on our protest will be an attack on the very engine of Nigeria. The consequence will be an escalation and a total shutdown,” the union warned.
The protest is linked to broader labour grievances, including unresolved agreements with the Federal Government, rising cost of living, and the impact of insecurity on workers’ productivity, safety and livelihoods.
The NLC has highlighted the deaths of countless members, teachers, farmers, miners, and other artisans amid escalating insecurity and perceived government inaction.
The union has framed the protest as a civic action, not just a labour issue, aimed at mobilising public opinion and compelling authorities to prioritise security and governance reforms.
In announcing the protest, the NLC directed its state chapters across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to mobilise members for peaceful demonstrations, emphasising that the action is lawful and constitutionally protected.
In a notice issued to all state councils on December 10, following its National Executive Committee meeting held on December 4, the labour centre condemned the activities of bandits and kidnappers across the country and the government’s failure to address the situation.
Meanwhile, the police have stepped up security and deployed personnel and equipment across their jurisdictions to ensure smooth protests.
The Benue State Police Command said it deployed tactical teams across the state to ensure that hoodlums did not hijack the planned peaceful protest.
The spokesperson of the command, Udeme Edet, stated, “The command has deployed tactical teams all around major areas of the state to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the planned protest by the labour union.
“I can assure you that the whole state is peaceful now, but our officers are on alert in case of any eventuality.”
The Jigawa State Police Command, on its part, highlighted its plans to make the protest violence-free.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, detailed the command’s proactive measures, saying, ‘’We’ve deployed adequate personnel to monitor and secure the protest routes,” he said.
The Sokoto State command said it is engaging with labour leaders to ensure a peaceful atmosphere during the protest.
The command’s spokesman, Ahmed Rufai, disclosed that the command has also placed its personnel on alert and that a special team would be deployed to flashpoints in the metropolis.
“We held a meeting with their leadership today at the headquarters, and we have received their assurance that the protest will be orderly. The command has also put its men on alert in case of any uncertainty,” he added.
The Imo State police spokesman, Henry Okoye, said the command has deployed ‘’maximum security’’ to guard against any form of breach.
According to him, the state is safe, and residents will be protected during the protest.
“The Imo State police command has deployed maximum security for members of the NLC during their protest to ensure there is no breach. There is nothing to worry about.
“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, has deployed watertight security to prevent any form of security breach and breakdown of law and order,” Okoye said
Similarly, the Bayelsa State police explained that it would mobilise both tactical units and drones to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the NLC protest.
The Nigeria Labour Congress is a formal organisation. Its members are citizens of this country, and they have the right to protest peacefully,” he said.
Also in Akwa Ibom State, the police stated that they engaged with the state’s labour leaders.
The command spokesman, Timfon John, added that adequate deployment had been made in strategic locations backed by enhanced patrols.
According to her, the summit, titled ‘Taking Back Our Communities: The Police–Public Partnership Against Violent Crimes’, aims to strengthen collaboration between security agencies and the public in combating crime.
She added that the command was intensifying community engagement and intelligence-led policing to address security challenges in Kwara State, particularly amid concerns over kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes in parts of the state.