Hardship: Labour ignores DSS warning, insists on nationwide protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has rejected the security advisory by the Department of State Services, DSS, urging the union to shelve its planned nationwide protest.

The NLC, on Monday, began mobilising its members for the planned mass protest slated for February 27 and 28 over the cost of living crisis in the country.

However, the DSS in a statement by its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, on Wednesday urged the union to shelve the plan in the interest of peace and public order.

The secret police urged the NLC to engage the government in a dialogue, saying the planned protest has the capacity to trigger tension and violence in the country.

“The DSS further calls on parties to pursue dialogue and negotiation rather than engaging in conducts that could heighten tensions.

“This is more so that the Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence”, the statement said.

But in a quick response, the NLC president, Joe Ajaero in a statement on Wednesday, insisted that there was no going back on the plan, citing the level of hardship imposed on Nigerians via some policies of the present administration.

The NLC president assured that the protest would be peaceful, urging the service to fish out any individual or group planning to hijack the process.

“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”, Ajaero added.