The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the worsening insecurity across the country is not urgently addressed.

The labour unions issued the warning during a joint media briefing held on the sidelines of the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Expressing concern over the rising cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks in several parts of the country, the labour leaders said Nigerians can no longer continue to live in fear while carrying out their daily activities.

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The unions warned that if the security situation continues to deteriorate without decisive government intervention, organised labour may be left with no choice but to mobilise workers for industrial action nationwide.

According to the labour leaders, the persistent attacks on communities, commuters, farmers, and workers have reached an alarming level, requiring urgent and coordinated action from all levels of government.

“Enough is enough,” the labour centres declared, stressing that the protection of lives and property remains one of the fundamental responsibilities of government.

The NLC and TUC also used the opportunity to dismiss claims by some state governors that negotiations were ongoing with workers on a proposed ₦100,000 minimum wage.

They insisted that such claims do not reflect the current state of discussions on workers’ welfare and cautioned against giving the public a misleading impression about ongoing engagements with organised labour.

The unions reaffirmed their commitment to defending the interests of Nigerian workers and called on the Federal Government to take immediate and effective measures to tackle insecurity across the country.

They warned that failure to halt the rising wave of violence and criminality could trigger nationwide industrial action in the coming weeks.

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has cautioned Nigerians against linking criminal activities to any ethnic group, warning that such generalisations promote division and weaken national unity.

Obi made the remarks in a statement posted on his verified X account on Monday, expressing concern over what he described as a growing tendency to stereotype entire ethnic communities because of the actions of a few criminal elements.

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The former Anambra State governor said he could identify with the experiences of many Nigerians who have faced prejudice and discrimination based on their ethnic origins, stressing that people should be judged by their character rather than their tribe.

“As an Igbo man, I have endured stereotypes, judgment, and labelling solely based on my ethnic origins. This is not an isolated Igbo experience. Most Nigerians have, at some point, been reduced to their ethnicity rather than recognised for their true character,” Obi stated.

He noted that ethnic stereotyping is a challenge faced by people across the country and should not be encouraged under any circumstance.

Obi specifically spoke about the plight of ordinary Fulani people, saying many of them are unfairly judged and blamed for crimes committed by individuals who neither represent nor have any connection to them.

“I understand the pain of the ordinary Fulani man today, often unfairly judged by the actions of criminals he does not support, has never met, and who are not representative of his people,” he said.

Drawing parallels with the civil rights movement in the United States, Obi referenced the words of renowned civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who advocated for a society where individuals are judged by the content of their character rather than by their identity.

According to Obi, criminality is an individual act and should never be viewed as a characteristic of an entire ethnic group.

“Crime has no ethnicity. A thief is a thief. A terrorist is a terrorist. A kidnapper is a kidnapper. They are bad actors, not representatives of any people,” he declared.

The former governor urged law enforcement agencies to remain focused on identifying, arresting and prosecuting criminals without attaching their actions to entire communities.

“They must be identified, arrested, and punished according to the law. We must decisively abandon the dangerous practice of blaming entire ethnic groups for the actions of a few criminals,” Obi added.

He warned that ethnic profiling only deepens social divisions, breeds mistrust among citizens and creates opportunities for political actors to exploit differences for personal gain.

Obi further called on Nigerians to embrace the country’s diversity and focus on shared values that unite the nation rather than stereotypes that divide it.

According to him, Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity, and citizens must work together to build a society founded on fairness, justice and mutual respect.

“A new Nigeria must emerge—one where no citizen is condemned because of tribe, religion, or birthplace,” he said.

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has declared, “we shall win convincingly and we shall be declared winner with wide margins”.

According to a government house statement issued in Osogbo on Sunday, Gov Adeleke also tasked Osun residents and indigenes to ignore rumours and scaremongering about the forthcoming gubernatorial elections.

On concerns in some quarters about election rigging and political violence, the governor said all hands are on deck to ensure that “our people exercise their voting rights without any hindrance”, vowing that “our votes will count and we shall emerge victorious”

Gov Adeleke called on Osun people to ignore the scaremongering, the rigging rumours and the threats, stressing that those peddling fear mongering have only strengthened the determination of the people to sustain and retain good governance.

“According to the Governor, residents and voters are resolved to enforce free and fair elections within the ambit of the law, as well as through formal and informal structures, declaring that “No one, I repeat, no one can deny Osun people their legitimate rights to choose their leaders.

“We are the cradle of Yoruba nation. We are the ancestral state of Mr President. No security or electoral official will dare attempt to set Osun state on fire. No federal official will contemplate rigging the forthcoming elections in Osun state.

“We will resist any move or ploy to tamper with the electoral process. We are closely monitoring all pre-election activities while watching machinery has been set for both election and post- election period. We are not taking anything to chance.”, the governor assures the public.

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On the political rupture within the Osun main opposition party, Governor Adeleke called on all politicians of goodwill to join hands with him to sustain current statewide delivery of good governance.

“Our candidature is beyond party lines. Ours is a pan-Osun movement, a rainbow coalition, to ensure the final exit of the state from under-development. So our doors are open for new members to join our party.

“I call on politicians and non-political stakeholders to join me in Accord ahead of August 15. It is better to abandon a sinking ship and join the light which my candidature represents”, Gov Adeleke stated.