NLC Backs Nationwide Teachers’ Strike Over Rising School Abductions, Warns Government To “Act Now”

Nigeria’s labour movement has thrown its weight behind the ongoing strike action by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), warning that worsening insecurity across the country is pushing workers and communities to the brink.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the nationwide protest by teachers followed repeated cases of kidnappings involving educators and schoolchildren, describing the situation as unbearable and dangerous.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the strike was a clear sign that teachers were no longer willing to remain vulnerable while insecurity spreads across schools and communities.

According to him, the coordinated action by teachers across Nigeria was more than just an industrial protest. He said it reflected growing frustration over what he described as the government’s slow and ineffective response to kidnappings and violent attacks.

“The action represents the resolve of teachers to take their destiny into their own hands instead of waiting to be slaughtered,” Ajaero stated.

The labour leader praised the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers under Titus Audu Amba for organising the strike, insisting that the safety of teachers, students and other vulnerable workers must become a national priority.

The strike comes amid outrage over the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed men reportedly attacked schools and took victims into captivity. Disturbing images and reports from the incident have triggered nationwide concern, with many parents now questioning the safety of schools.

Ajaero said insecurity was no longer limited to a few troubled regions, warning that communities from Zamfara to Port Harcourt were now under threat. He also referenced fresh attacks and abductions in states including Plateau and Kogi as evidence that the security crisis continues to deepen.

The NLC warned that it could escalate its support for teachers through solidarity protests and wider labour actions if authorities fail to take decisive steps to rescue abducted victims and improve security nationwide.

“We cannot continue to fold our hands while this horror continues,” the statement added.

The congress also urged federal and state governments to move beyond repeated assurances and take measurable action to protect schools, communities and workers across the country.