Organized labour, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has shifted its focus to state and local governments, demanding they take responsibility for the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.
During nationwide protests held last week, labour leaders argued that while security is a federal concern, subnational governments are better positioned to protect communities through grassroots intelligence and local policing strategy.
The Federal Government during the surge of insecurity, listened to the plight of many Nigerians first by declaring a state of emergency on November 26, 2025.
This declaration authorized the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers and the deployment of forest guards to flush out bandits. However, the NLC argues that these federal boots on the ground are insufficient if state governors and local chairmen remain passive.
Even after the release of the 303 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State abducted in November, tension still remains high.
According to the NBS Crime Experience Survey 2024, Nigerians paid an estimated ₦2.23 trillion in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024, with an average payment of ₦2.67 million per incident.
Chairperson of NLC Lagos, Comrade Funmi Sessi, stated that Nigerians can no longer travel freely for business or family visits due to fear, calling on states to utilize their security allocations for rapid-response mechanisms.
States and local governments cannot fold their arms. They are closest to the people, they understand the terrain, and they receive security-related allocations. Nigerians deserve to see concrete results – Comrade Funmi Sessi, Chairperson, NLC Lagos
Organized labour has scheduled a follow-up meeting with the Federal Government in January 2026 to review the progress of the national security emergency.
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