Edo NLC Set To Mobilise Affiliate Unions For December 17 National Protest Against Insecurity, Mourns Ex-General Scribe

Hendrix Oliomogbe 

The Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to give full effect to the directive of the national leadership of the NLC to protest insecurity in Nigeria slated for Wednesday, 17th of December, 2025.

Rising from a meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) of the Council Tuesday in Benin City, it directed the Edo NLC SAC or Caretaker Committee to put the necessary machinery in motion to mobilise and coordinate the protest. 

In a statement by the Caretaker Committee chairman, Prof. Monday Igbafen, the SEC-in-Session appealed to the state government to collaborate with the NLC to depoliticise the state NLC.

Besides, he said that SEC-in-Session also joined NEC to denounce the Nigerian State over the crisis in the tertiary education sector and berated it for the industrial dispute in the health sector, especially the HOHESU’s industrial action.

This is coming just as the Edo NLC SEC joined NEC to condemn the Nigerian State for allegedly being incapable of tackling what it described as "the hydra-headed security problems" in the country.

Prof. Igbafen directed the Edo NLC SAC or Caretaker Committee to put the necessary machinery in motion to mobilise and coordinate the December 17 National protest against insecurity.

He disclosed that the meeting was attended by 17 affiliate unions of the NLC. In particular, the SEC in-session was extensively briefed on the serious concern expressed by the NLC NEC on the worsening and debilitating state of insecurity in the country. 

According to him: "The SEC-in-Session also received reports and updates on the crisis in the tertiary education sector, the industrial dispute in the health sector, especially the HOHESU’s industrial action and the resuscitation of the Labour-Civil Society Coalition (LASCO). 

"It  further received the report of 2025 NLC Harmattan School held in Abuja from the 23rd to the 29th of November, 2025. After exhaustive deliberations, the SEC-in-Session noted and resolved as follows:

"It noted the resuscitation of the Labour-Civil Society Coalition (LASCO).”

The statement continued: "SEC-in-Session further reviewed the state of the Edo State NLC and commended the Igbafen-Led Caretaker Committee for its efforts to reposition the NLC in the State. Consequently, it passed a vote of confidence on the Caretaker Committee.

"Finally, on the way forward to establish peace in the Edo State NLC, the SEC-in-Session appealed to the state government to collaborate with the NLC to depoliticize the state NLC."

Meanwhile, the Edo State Council of the Congress has expressed utter shock and sadness over the news of the passage of an illustrious son of Edo State and former General Secretary NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson.

In a separate statement by Comrade Prof. Igbafen, he said: "We received the news of the sad passage of one of the pillars of the NLC who passed to the glory on 13th December 2025 after a protracted battle with illness."

The caretaker chairman said that there is no doubt that Dr. Ozo-Eson's death is a colossal loss and setback to the NLC's struggle. 

He said that the state NLC condoled with deceased’s family, the entire labour movement in the country, his numerous friends and associates, comrades all over the world, and the people of Edo State.