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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted that the planned protests against the prevailing economic situation in the country will hold despite the warning issued by the Department of State Services (DSS) to shelve its protests.
Recall that the organised labour had started mobilising its members and affiliate unions for a nationwide mass protests slated for February 27 and 28 over the economic hardship in the country.
Speaking on the planned protests in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, on Wednesday, DSS urged the organised labour to shelve the protests in the interest of peace and public order.
The secret police urged the union to pursue dialogue and negotiation rather than engage in conduct that could cause chaos in the country.
But the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday evening, noted that the protests will still hold, wondering why DSS is yet to arrest those planning to disrupt the protests.
“We are concerned by the unsolicited advice of the Department of State Security to shelve our planned protest against the unprecedented high cost of living despite the indescribable suffering in the land, spiralling inflation, deepening poverty and the Naira at an exchange rate of N1,900 to the US Dollar.
“According to the service, the planned protest should be shelved ‘in the interest of peace and public order’, pre-supposing that the action is intended to be violent and disruptive even when we have a history of peaceful protests.
“More worrying is the new role the Service has assigned to itself, the chief spokesperson of the government.
“We are equally worried that although the “Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence and yet have not executed the arrest of these elements,” the NLC president said.
Ajaero noted that the NLC will not compromise the sovereignty or security of the country, assuring that the protests would be peaceful.
“We are equally intrigued by the innuendos of the service, their philosophy of “peace” and wild allegations and we want to reassure them that no one loves this country more than us and on our honour, we would never do anything that will compromise its sovereignty or security.
“Having said this, we would not have ourselves blackmailed or lied against by the service. 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,” he added.