The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Tuesday, warned that any attempt to interfere with Wednesday’s National Day of Protest and mourning could spark a nationwide indefinite strike.

Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said in a statement that the union had received intelligence suggesting that unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings might try to infiltrate or violently disrupt the demonstrations.

He added that harming even a single worker or citizen would trigger an immediate and indefinite shutdown across all sectors of the economy.

“Our action tomorrow is not just a mere procession; it is a collective act of grief, a roar of despair from the oppressed, and a democratic demand for the fundamental right to life and security,” the statement read.

The union highlighted the deaths of countless members, teachers, farmers, miners, and other artisans amid escalating insecurity and government inaction.

The union urged all workers, students, traders, and citizens to remain disciplined, peaceful, and united.

“Solidarity is our shield,” it said.

The NLC also called on the police, who have been informed of the protest, to protect citizens’ democratic right to assemble and express their grievances.

The protest, first announced following the NLC’s National Executive Council meeting on December 4, 2025, is intended as a response to a wide range of national crises.

The NEC had expressed serious concern over the country’s worsening security situation, including the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State on 17 November 2025, during which two staff members were killed.

The union condemned the withdrawal of security personnel prior to the attack and called for urgent government intervention.

According to the World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update, released in October 2025, approximately 139 million Nigerians, about 61–62 per cent of the population, are living in poverty, a sharp increase from previous years.

The union has previously stressed that protests are necessary to draw attention to government failures in addressing insecurity, economic hardship, industrial disputes, and political accountability.

The union raised concerns about the tertiary education sector, noting that university infrastructure continues to deteriorate, teaching and research resources remain outdated, and staff allowances are often unpaid.

The NEC criticised the Federal Government’s use of divide-and-rule tactics, which undermine union unity and stall negotiations.

It urged the government to implement a fair and uniform remuneration framework for all university workers while recognising the unique needs of different professional groups.

The ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions, which began on 14 November 2025, was also reviewed.

The NLC expressed concern over the withdrawal of nurses from the industrial action and warned that, should negotiations fail, it and its affiliates would join the strike in full solidarity.

The NEC also directed the revival of the Labour–Civil Society Coalition, originally formed under Adams Oshiomhole, to strengthen collaboration between labour organisations and civil society in addressing national issues.

On political matters, the NLC criticised the Labour Party, stating that it had been hijacked by mercantile interests through the Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee.

The union resolved to withdraw from these committees and focus on building coalitions with parties whose ideologies align with working-class principles, while continuing to engage with the Labour Party where possible.

The NLC warned those plotting to disrupt tomorrow’s protest to desist immediately. Any attack on peaceful protesters will be treated as a direct declaration of war on the entire Nigerian working class and its allies.

The union emphasised that if even a single worker, comrade, or citizen is harmed during the protest, the NLC will declare an immediate, comprehensive, and indefinite nationwide strike, shutting down all production, services, and sectors of the national economy.

“Any attack on our protest will be an attack on the very engine of Nigeria. The consequence will be an escalation and a total shutdown,” the union stated.

Posters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disappeared from Abuja roads amid debate over premature campaigning

Traders, residents and social media users reported mixed reactions and could not identify those who removed the posters

INEC and the Presidency distanced themselves from the posters while civil society called for stricter enforcement of electoral laws

This is coming amid debate over premature campaigning ahead of the 2027 general elections.

As reported by Daily Trust, the campaign-style posters, which initially dotted the stretch from the City Gate to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and other strategic locations, were no longer visible as of this week.

Instead, spaces previously occupied by the president’s images have been taken over by commercial advertisements and posters announcing religious programmes.

The posters appeared several months ago, triggering public debate and criticism, with many Nigerians, civil society organisations and electoral observers questioning their timing and legality.

The controversy was heightened by repeated warnings from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that early campaigning contravenes the law.

Presidency distances itself from the posters

INEC has consistently frowned on premature campaigns. Amid the controversy generated by the posters, the Presidency repeatedly distanced itself from the displays, insisting that President Tinubu neither authorised nor endorsed any campaign materials ahead of the 2027 polls.

In April, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said: “While President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima greatly appreciate their teeming and loyal supporters across the country for their enthusiasm and continuing support, the two leaders do not support any campaign that breaches the laws of the land.”

Mixed reactions from traders and residents 

A visit by Daily Trust along the Airport Road this week showed a clear absence of the president’s posters from the City Gate through Lugbe and Gosa corridors down to the airport.

Billboards and lamp posts that once carried the images now display adverts for telecommunications companies, real estate firms and upcoming religious programmes.

Some traders, commercial motorcyclists (okada riders) and passersby operating along the corridor who were spoken with could not identify the individuals responsible for removing the posters.

Malam Sani Abdullahi, a roadside trader at Gosa, said: “I don’t know who removed them, but I saw some people taking them down in the afternoon, like normal workers. They were not wearing any political shirts.”

Another trader, Aisha Musa, who sells bottled water around the Shoprite area, said: “We just noticed one day that the posters were no longer there.”

An okada rider, Ibrahim Lawal, operating between Kuchigoro and Karomajiji near the City Gate, added: “I can’t tell whether it was during the day or night, but this is where we spend most of our time. If those who removed them had done it openly with political displays, we would have noticed. They did not wear any politically distinctive clothing.”

Social media reacts to the disappearance

Social media users also took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the disappearance of the posters, offering varying accounts and interpretations of how and when they were removed.

One user, John Ezeakolam (@JohnEzeakolam), wrote that the posters were taken down late at night.

Another, KRISSNIVU (@DonChrisnivu), claimed: “From Monday, Nov. 10, all Tinubu posters and banners on the Abuja Airport Road have been removed. Is this about

@realDonaldTrump warning to Nigeria? All the streetlight poles had his posters from the international airport to the National Stadium, Abuja.”

Similarly, Paul Ofuokwu (@Flexible4Obidient) described the development as an aftermath of political pressure, suggesting the removal occurred during the night.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Wole Olanipekun, has urged the Olu badan of Ibadan land, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, to bring his wealth of experience as a seasoned administrator and foremost traditional ruler to bear in uniting traditional rulers in the Southwest region.

Advocating for a unified identity among the traditional rulers in the region, the legal luminary said traditional rulers can only advance the course of the region with unity of purpose.

Olanipekun made the plea during a courtsey visit to the Olubadan at his Oke-Aremo palace, Ibadan on Tuesday.

He urged the monarch to bring his wealth of experience as former governor, senator and entrepreneur to bear in the interest of the traditional institution in the region.

He described Oba Ladoja as a leading figure among the traditional rulers in Yorubaland, noting the history of the ancient town and the role that it played in wading off the invasion of the Fulani Jihadist.

He said, “It is of note how Ibadan warlords fought gallantly to defend the territorial integrity of the Yorubaland during Kiriji war, Ijaiye war, Jalumi to mention but few.