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The leadership of organised labour has described as unsolicited the advice by the Department of State Services (DSS) that the nationwide protest billed for February 27 and 28 should be shelved.
While insisting that there would be no going back on the planned mass protest, labour took a swipe at the secret police for presupposing that the action is intended to cause violence and disruption in the country.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, said these in response to the DSS call on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
The secret police had, in a statement earlier in the day, counselled the NLC and its counterpart from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to reconsider their decision in the interest of peace and order across the country.
The secret police also warned that the demonstration would undoubtedly worsen the socio-economic conditions of the country and could possibly lead to a crisis.
But Ajaero expressed worry that the DSS has assigned itself the role of the spokesman for the government.
He cautioned the service against any attempt to blackmail organised labour and asked it to go after those that want to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and, by extension, widespread violence as claimed.
The union leader stressed that history will not be kind to the labour movement and its leadership if they allow the current economic hardship to continue to fester without taking any action.
Ajaero said, “We are concerned by the unsolicited advice of the Department of State Security to shelve our planned protest against the unprecedented high cost of living in spite of the indescribable suffering in the land, spiralling inflation, deepening poverty and the Naira at an exchange rate of N1,900 to the US Dollar.
“According to the Service, the planned protest should be shelved “in the interest of peace and public order”, pre-supposing that the action is intended to be violent and disruptive even when we have a history of peaceful protests.
“More worrying is the new role the Service has assigned to itself, the chief spokesperson of the government.
“According to the Service, “It is common knowledge that all levels of Government are striving to ameliorate the prevailing economic condition and as such, should be given a benefit of the doubt, So far, appropriate authorities are working assiduously with a spectrum of stakeholders to fashion out modalities to address the current difficulties”.
“We are equally worried that although the “Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence”, and yet have not executed the arrest of these elements.
“We are equally intrigued by the innuendos of the Service, their philosophy of “peace” and wild allegations and we want to reassure them that no one loves this country more than us and on our honour, we would never do anything that will compromise its sovereignty or security.
“Having said this, we would not have ourselves blackmailed or lied against by the Service. Our protest is a peaceful one against the unpardonable cost of living of which the unserviced personnel of the Service are also victims. We cannot fold our hands and pretend all is well. That will be a grievous conspiracy that history will not forgive.”