FCT workers postpone planned protest over police advisory

Striking FCT Area Councils’ workers including the primary school teachers and health personnel have shifted their mass protest scheduled to begin on Monday. Abuja Metro reports that the workers have been on strike since early March over accumulated arrears, non-implementation of the new national minimum wage by the six area councils, among other demands. The […]

Striking FCT Area Councils’ workers including the primary school teachers and health personnel have shifted their mass protest scheduled to begin on Monday.

Abuja Metro reports that the workers have been on strike since early March over accumulated arrears, non-implementation of the new national minimum wage by the six area councils, among other demands.

The workers had planned to begin a three-day warning protest on Monday, aimed at shutting down the nation’s capital.

But responding to the planned protest, the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the FCT Police Command reportedly informed the joint labour unions that they could not provide them security cover during the protest, saying they are currently overwhelmed.

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A reliable source, who is a member of the executive of the joint labour unions, disclosed the position of the security agencies to our reporter yesterday.

He said the two security agencies said the ongoing project commissioning by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the territory, which they are currently providing security cover for, informed their decision.

He said the executives of the joint unions had earlier written to both the DSS and the FCT Police Command, requesting for security cover.

According to him, the FCT Police Commissioner, CP Ajao Saka Adewale and the DSS, invited the leaders of the joint unions for a meeting, where they asked them to reschedule the date of the planned protest.

The source said,” The executives of the unions deliberated on the position of the security agencies at the FCT NLC meeting on Wednesday and it was resolved that the picketing be rescheduled to hold from July 7 to July 9.

Meanwhile, the state secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Margaret F. Jethro, confirmed the postponement of the protest to July 7 and 9, 2025.

Jethro made this known in a message she sent to the FCT teachers’ WhatsApp platform on Wednesday night.

The message read, “Sequel to the resolutions of the State Executive Council (SEC) of the NLC FCT Council yesterday, 17th June 2025, to picket the FCT for three days commencing from the 23rd-25th June 2025, the DSS and the Commissioner of Police invited the Council for a meeting.”

“They informed the Council that the request for security cover could not be granted because they are overwhelmed due to the commissioning of projects going on in the FCT and the commitments of the whole security agencies, that they would not be able to provide security cover for the intended picketing and advised that the picketing be rescheduled till after the commissioning.

‘’After an exhaustive deliberation on the position of the security agencies at the meeting, it was resolved that the picketing be rescheduled for the 7th-9th of July 2025.

“Hence, we wish to inform you that it was difficult for us to arrive at this decision, but we took cognisance of the safety of our members, which is more paramount.

“Please, let us keep on praying and hoping for the best. We shall keep you informed as events unfold.”

When contacted, the FCT NUT Secretary, Comrade Margaret F. Jethro, confirmed the development to our reporter through the telephone.