By SUNTV Global Channel | February 2, 2026
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has appealed to organised labour to reconsider a planned protest in Abuja, citing serious security concerns and intelligence reports indicating possible infiltration by non-state actors.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Command specifically called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT Council, to reschedule its peaceful demonstration slated for Tuesday, February 3, 2026, within the Federal Capital City.
The protest was organised by the NLC in solidarity with the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), whose members have been on an indefinite strike since January 19, 2026, over unresolved labour disputes with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
According to the statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, reaffirmed the constitutional right of citizens to peaceful assembly but warned that credible intelligence suggested the protest could be hijacked by the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as the Shiites, alongside other unidentified groups.
The police cautioned that such infiltration could threaten public safety, disrupt law and order, and potentially lead to violence within the city, prompting the appeal for the protest to be postponed in the interest of peace.
Earlier, the NLC FCT Council had issued a mobilisation notice directing affiliate unions to converge at the Labour House by 7:00 a.m. ahead of the demonstration.
The ongoing industrial action under the JUAC platform involves workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), who are demanding the payment of outstanding promotion arrears and other unpaid entitlements.
In response to the strike, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, alongside the FCTA, sought the intervention of the National Industrial Court, which ordered the suspension of the strike to allow for further dialogue. The Minister subsequently appealed to the workers to comply with the court ruling and return to work.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command reassured residents of Abuja of its commitment to maintaining security and protecting lives and property at all times.
