As Nigeria continues to battle insecurity nationwide, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has pledged to declare a day of mourning in honour of workers who have fallen victim to violence.

Speaking in Lagos during the 2025 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero decried recent attacks and abductions affecting schoolchildren and workers.

“We cannot sit and watch bandits take over the country, never again. The worker who was killed is a teacher. The children kidnapped are children of workers. We can no longer bear this,” Ajaero said.

He noted that the NEC would take a firm stand, demanding accountability on whether security equipment or leadership had been compromised.

The Congress plans nationwide protests to compel the government to address operational lapses that have enabled repeated attacks on schools and communities.

Ajaero added that a day of mourning will soon be declared to honour workers, students, and other Nigerians affected by kidnappings and violence, while stressing the government’s responsibility to safeguard lives and property.

He also urged political actors to avoid overheating the polity, reminding them that “if you lose today, you can win tomorrow.”

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) also weighed in, warning against foreign military intervention in Nigeria. He cautioned that external involvement threatens national sovereignty and could destabilize the country, citing historical opposition to the 1962 Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact and the experiences of Libya and Afghanistan.

Falana criticized proposals for US-led intervention in Nigeria, questioning the sincerity of claims to protect Christians abroad, noting that similar actions have not been taken in Nigerian states affected by religious violence.

He called on the NLC and civil society groups to intensify pressure on the Federal Government to fulfil its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property, emphasizing that Nigeria must demonstrate it “is not a conquered people.”

Falana also reaffirmed the legal rights of workers to unionize and defend their interests, insisting that no government or private entity should undermine these rights. He concluded by expressing support for any NLC initiative aimed at safeguarding Nigerians and defending the nation’s sovereignty.