The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has unveiled its intention to stage rallies across Nigeria on February 27th and 28th, highlighting the escalating cost of living in the country.
This announcement came through a letter penned by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN.
In the missive, the NLC accused the federal government of failing to fully implement a 16-point memorandum of understanding reached last year following the removal of fuel subsidy, despite conducting a peaceful protest on August 2nd, 2023. The upcoming rallies are aimed at expressing the frustration of Nigerians with the high inflation rate, which the NLC attributes to government policies like fuel subsidy removal.
The letter stressed the constitutional right of the NLC to peaceful protest and referenced a Court of Appeal judgment affirming citizens’ rights to protest on matters of public concern without needing police permits.
Additionally, the NLC urged the Attorney General to instruct the Inspector General of Police to provide security for the protesters in accordance with Section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020.
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Falana emphasized that the planned protests cannot be deemed contemptuous as the substantive case on fuel subsidy withdrawal is still pending in court.
The letter serves as a notice to the federal government that the NLC is moving forward with the mass action, with the rallies threatening to disrupt economic activities if the authorities fail to address the demands of organized labor.
In closing, Falana urged the Attorney General to ensure adequate security arrangements for the protests while awaiting a favorable response.