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NLC Leads Nationwide Protest Over Rising Insecurity, Demands Urgent Action from FG

Published

1 month ago

December 18, 2025

NLC Leads Nationwide Protest Over Rising Insecurity, Demands Urgent Action from FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates on Wednesday staged nationwide protests to draw attention to the country’s worsening insecurity, citing escalating cases of banditry, kidnappings and violent crimes across Nigeria.

The protests followed a directive issued after the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, where the union described the nation’s security situation as deteriorating. The congress particularly referenced the abduction of female students in Kebbi State and condemned the alleged withdrawal of security personnel from the school shortly before the incident.

Despite last-minute efforts to halt the protest, including a late-night meeting between President Bola Tinubu, NLC leaders and state governors, workers across several states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) went ahead with demonstrations.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the protest was aimed at drawing national and international attention to the impact of insecurity on workers and the economy. He disclosed that labour leaders would reconvene with the President in January to further discuss financial insecurity, workers’ welfare and unresolved concerns.

“The protest is to help this country—to call attention to the effect of insecurity,” Ajaero said, warning that kidnappings and killings of workers and their families were crippling livelihoods and discouraging investment. He also proposed an ‘insecurity allowance’ for workers affected by abductions and ransom demands.

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Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said President Tinubu’s intervention helped open a channel for sustained dialogue with labour, assuring that increased investment in security was being prioritised.

Protests were held in Lagos, Abuja, Anambra, Borno, Rivers and other states. In Lagos, workers marched from Ikeja Under Bridge to the State House of Assembly, led by NLC Lagos Chairperson Funmi Sessi and human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN). Demonstrators decried restricted freedom of movement and growing fear nationwide.

Falana accused the state of failing to adequately protect lives, insisting that the right to life and security is non-negotiable. In Borno, Rivers and other states, labour leaders echoed similar concerns, rejecting any political motives behind the protests and demanding immediate government action.

Data cited during the protests highlighted the scale of the crisis. A report by SB Morgen estimated that kidnappers demanded over ₦48 billion in ransom between June 2024 and June 2025, while the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported 2.24 million kidnapping incidents between May 2023 and April 2024, with households paying about ₦2.23 trillion in ransom.

Labour leaders warned that unless decisive steps are taken, insecurity would continue to undermine national unity, economic growth and workers’ welfare, stressing that the protests were a call to protect lives, restore safety and rebuild public confidence.

NLC Leads Nationwide Protest Over Rising Insecurity, Demands Urgent Action from FG

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EFCC Arraigns Mompha’s Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

Published

2 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Trends Admin

EFCC Arraigns Mompha’s Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Sarumi Samusudeen Babafemi, an associate of social media personality Ismaila Mustapha (Mompha), alongside three corporate entities, over an alleged ₦206 million fraud before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.

Babafemi — Managing Director and CEO of 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited, and Splash Off Entertainment Limited — faces five counts of conspiracy, concealment, and transfer of proceeds of crime, allegedly committed between 2013 and 2018. The EFCC claims the offences involved large sums, including ₦37.6 million and ₦93 million transferred to third parties, with knowledge that the funds were proceeds of unlawful acts.

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When the charges were read, Babafemi pleaded not guilty. His defence lawyer, SAN Kunle Adegoke, filed a bail application, which the court granted, ordering that Babafemi be released to his counsel upon signing an affidavit of undertaking to appear in court. The trial is now scheduled to commence on March 24, 2026.

The EFCC said Babafemi acted in concert with Mompha and other co-accused — Ridwan Momodu Allison (Osama) and Richard Ugbah, who are currently at large — to facilitate the alleged money laundering scheme. This latest prosecution comes as part of broader EFCC efforts to tackle financial crimes and fraud networks linked to high-profile figures in Nigeria.

EFCC Arraigns Mompha’s Associate Over Alleged ₦206m Fraud

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Police U-Turn: Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna, Security Forces Deployed

Published

3 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Police U-Turn: Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna, Security Forces Deployed

The Nigeria Police Force has officially confirmed that worshippers were abducted during attacks on churches in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, after initially denying the reports. The reversal comes as security agencies deploy tactical units to rescue the victims and secure the area.

Eyewitnesses and local sources say armed gunmen stormed multiple churches, including ECWA and Cherubim and Seraphim, during Sunday services, seizing dozens of worshippers. Community leaders report that over 170 people may have been abducted, with some survivors managing to escape.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other local bodies have condemned the attacks and called for an urgent and thorough rescue operation. Authorities say they are intensifying efforts to locate and safely recover the victims, amid growing national concern over mass kidnappings in northern Nigeria.

The incident highlights ongoing security challenges in Kaduna State and other northern and central regions, where armed gangs and kidnappers frequently target vulnerable communities, often for ransom or political leverage. Families of the abducted worshippers continue to appeal for swift action as the rescue operations proceed.

Police U-Turn: Worshippers Abducted in Kaduna, Security Forces Deployed

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Presidency Accuses IPOB of Spreading False Christian Genocide Claims in Nigeria

Published

3 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu

Presidency Accuses IPOB of Spreading False Christian Genocide Claims in Nigeria

The Presidency of Nigeria has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of deliberately spreading false claims of a Christian genocide, saying the narrative is being amplified to mislead international opinion and influence foreign policy. Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, described the reports as propaganda lacking verification and stressed that they do not reflect the reality of Nigeria’s security situation.

Bwala’s remarks follow widespread reports linking the so-called genocide narrative to statements from IPOB and affiliated actors, which have circulated on social media and attracted attention from international media and some foreign lawmakers. According to the Presidency, these claims oversimplify Nigeria’s complex security challenges, which include terrorism, banditry, and communal violence, rather than targeted religious persecution.

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The controversy has drawn U.S. congressional attention, with some lawmakers reportedly considering diplomatic responses. In response, the Nigerian Government has engaged U.S.-based lobbyists to highlight its efforts in protecting all citizens, regardless of faith, and to correct misleading narratives surrounding violence in the country.

Religious and civic leaders in Nigeria remain divided. While some dismiss the genocide claims as exaggerated and potentially divisive, others acknowledge violence against Christians but caution that framing it as genocide misrepresents the broader security context. Analysts warn that the debate over religious persecution and misinformation has significant implications for national unity, international perception, and Nigeria’s foreign relations.