- Raises Alarm Over Organised Campaign to Silence Progressive, Patriotic Voices
NIGERIA Labour Congress has raise alarm on what it called an organised campaign to repress progressive and patriotic voices to interrogate the rising insecurity in the country.
A press release signed by the Congress President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, on Tuesday, and made available to National Record, stated that the NLC has noticed “strenuous efforts by some faceless groups to politicize, discredit, discourage and demobilize credible, progressive, and patriotic voices speaking out courageously on the rising insecurity across the country.”
Comrade Wabba said the “scathing attacks” on the Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum and other well-meaning Nigerians by some “hired goons and masked town criers” are indicators of this emerging trend.
Describing those behind the attempt to suppress popular views as meddlesome interlopers, Wabba threatened that the NLC will not hesitate to expose those playing politics with the lives of ordinary Nigerians being wasted on daily basis.
He said: “We wish to warn meddlesome interlopers whose stock in trade is to sing for attention or to perform for the highest bidder to cease and desist from aggravating the hurt in the minds of many Nigerians especially those in the conflict zones who live everyday as if it is their last day. Even when the corpse of another person resembles a log of wood, our humanity must evoke some sympathy with the suffering, the wounded and the grieving otherwise we would be worse than the dead.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress will not hesitate to expose those playing politics with the lives of ordinary Nigerians being wasted on daily basis. We once again call on Mr. President to rejig the security apparatus in the country. We need to try new tactics and new capable hands. Enough of the bloodshed already! We refuse to be reduced to a land of blood, tears, misery, fears and pains. Nigerians will not be cowed!
The NLC noted that one doesn’t have to be an expert to know that the country is facing serious security challenges. “Even the blind knows that the resurgence of insecurity in the country has taken very extreme dimensions. As we noted in our recent press statement on insecurity in Nigeria, many communities in the North East and North West geo-political zones of Nigeria have been deserted for a long time owing to the prevailing insecurity.
“The lives of our fellow compatriots, many of whom are workers, have been turned into a living hell due to the protracted security challenge in the country. So, many lives, families, dreams and prospects have been torn apart and many citizens have been inflicted with scars that may never heal throughout their life time. And some people want Nigerians to be quiet. No way!” Comrade Wabba stated.
He said NLC’s first response to reports purportedly issued by the military warning state governors against criticising the military over its handling of the resurgence of insecurity in the country was to doubt that such statement actually came from the military high command.
“If it is true that such statements truly emanated from an institution that is supposed to be under the sovereignty of the people as reposed on elected democratic leadership at all levels, then it is quite unfortunate.
“While saluting the gallantry and sacrifice by members of our Armed Forces, it is important to note that no person or institution is beyond constructive criticism especially by the people they claim to serve. Under this democratic dispensation, no person carries the weight of the expectations, hopes and aspirations of the people than their elected leaders. Any attempt to belittle or dismiss their mandate would be tantamount to undermining the will of the Nigerian people, our democratic foundations and our sovereignty as a state,” Wabba argued.
