The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused President Bola Tinubu-led government of paying more attention to electoral ambitions than to the protection of lives and property of the citizens, as insecurity continues to escalate across the country.
The allegation was made on Wednesday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during a protest rally against insecurity organised by the Ebonyi State Council of the NLC.
The text of the press conference was read by the state chairman of the congress, Professor Ogugua Egwu.
Addressing workers and members of the public, Egwu lamented that Nigeria has become a nation where terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and incessant killings dominate everyday life.
He said citizens can no longer confidently say they are safe, noting that even internally displaced persons now live in fear in camps meant to offer protection.
He decried the growing wave of abductions, particularly of schoolchildren and workers, which has made parents afraid to send their children to school.
Egwu questioned the effectiveness of the country’s multiple security agencies, asking whether they have been weakened by poor funding, politicisation or the crippling effects of poverty.
The NLC chairman cited several recent incidents, including the abduction of seven workers in Kwara State, the kidnapping of a civil servant and her husband along the Afikpo–Onueke Road in Ebonyi State, and the hijacking of a bus conveying federal civil servants to a promotion interview.
He also recalled the abduction of more than 300 pupils and students in Niger and Kwara states, which led to the killing of two teachers.
Quoting figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, Egwu said about 4,722 abductions were recorded nationwide between June 2024 and June 2025, with over ₦2.56 billion reportedly paid as ransom.
He added that Nigerians lost an estimated ₦2.23 trillion to kidnapping and related crimes between May 2023 and April 2024.
According to him, the majority of victims are workers who are forced to exhaust their meagre incomes to secure the release of loved ones while dealing with lasting psychological trauma.
Beyond physical insecurity, the NLC also raised concerns about deepening financial hardship. Egwu said claims of economic improvement by government do not reflect the reality on ground, as fuel prices remain high and wages are grossly inadequate.
He noted that more than 80 per cent of Nigerian workers spend nearly all their earnings on basic necessities such as food, shelter and water, leaving little or nothing for healthcare, savings or quality education for their children.
In Ebonyi State, he added, many workers live in poor and overcrowded conditions, with some virtually residing in their offices or operating from environments unfit for human habitation.
Egwu warned that rising poverty and unemployment, particularly among the youth, are breeding grounds for crime and violence. He said young people are often mobilised for political purposes during elections and abandoned afterwards, creating conditions that fuel insecurity.
He called on governments at all levels to take urgent and decisive action to address the security crisis, stressing that the primary duty of government is the protection of lives and property, not the pursuit of political power.
The protest, he explained, was aimed at drawing attention to the increasing cases of kidnapping, killings, banditry and other violent crimes across the country, while urging leaders to show genuine commitment to the safety and welfare of Nigerians.
Egwu thanked workers and residents for their peaceful participation in the protest and urged Nigerians to remain united in demanding accountability and responsible governance.
