Workers under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Rivers State Council, on Wednesday 17 December joined the nationwide protest against escalating insecurity, marching from their secretariat in D-Line, Port Harcourt, to the Government House to submit a letter of grievance to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Led by the state Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, the protesters decried the wave of kidnappings, killings, and economic disruption caused by insecurity, calling on the Federal Government to take decisive action to safeguard lives and property.
Agwanwor highlighted the severe impact on workers, saying, “Insecurity has created fear, job losses, and uncertainty across the country. Most of our workers, family members, and children have been kidnapped. In the North, 96 schools have been closed down, preventing children from attending classes.”
He added that the menace had evolved into financial insecurity, as farmers could no longer access their lands safely. “The government must step up and secure lives and properties. That is why we are here today,” he stressed.
National Vice Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Steve Okoro, described insecurity as a pervasive challenge affecting all strata of society. He recounted harrowing incidents, including the kidnapping of six construction workers at Setraco, where the branch chairman was abducted after delivering ransom.
Okoro also cited a recent attack in Kano, where a branch chairman’s grandmother was killed and his village overrun. “In the South, it is milder, but in the North, people cannot sleep peacefully in their homes,” he said.
The protest, part of a coordinated nationwide action by the NLC, served as a wake-up call to governors on the devastating effects of insecurity in rural communities.
On behalf of the state government, Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr Chukwuma Augustine, received the protesters’ letter, assuring that it would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.
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