The wireless also stressed the need to “ensure visible police presence to deter criminal elements who may seek to exploit the situation.”
The Nigeria Police Force has placed all state commands and tactical units on high alert ahead of a planned nationwide protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), SaharaReporters can report.
In a wireless message dated December 16, 2025, and marked “M/IMMEDIATE,” the Force Headquarters in Abuja informed senior police officers across the country that “the Nigerian Labour Congress has planned a nationwide protest.”
According to the police signal, the protest “will commence… tomorrow Wednesday 17th December 2025,” with “the epic centers” identified as “Lagos and Abuja.”
The message, issued by the Department of Operations at Force Headquarters, directed all Commissioners of Police to “carefully re-appraise” and “strengthen operational strategy” to “professionally manage protests and any civil disturbances which could arise therefore.”
Police authorities further ordered that all tactical unit commanders should “maintain full complement of personnel on standby for rapid response deployment / reinforcement,” while commands were instructed to “deploy sufficient personnel to strategic locations including government facilities, public utilities and other critical infrastructures.”
The wireless also stressed the need to “ensure visible police presence to deter criminal elements who may seek to exploit the situation.”
In addition, police commands were directed to “engage labour leaders, civil society groups, other relevant stakeholders within command” in order “to encourage peaceful conduct.”
Despite the heavy security preparations, the message noted that all deployments must be carried out “in a professional manner with strict adherence to the rules of engagement and respect for human rights.”
The police also announced a specific dress instruction, stating that “all officers to be on camouflage until standdown order is given.”
The message concluded by directing all recipients to “acknowledge receipt by return signal” and to “treat as important.”
The planned protest by the NLC comes amid growing public discontent over economic conditions, with Lagos and Abuja expected to be the focal points of the demonstrations.
The wireless message reads in full:
“-37/299 X SECURITY GENERAL X PLANNED CB: 0900/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL. PUBLIC PROTEST BY NIGERIAN LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) X THE NIGERIAN LABOUR CONGRESS HAS PLANNED A NATION WIDE PROTEST WHICH WILL COMMENCE X TOMORROW WEDNESDAY 17TH DECEMBER 2025 X THE EPIC CENTERS ARE X LAGOS AND ABUJA X NIGPOL DOPS FHQ ABUJA X DIRECTS X ALL COMMAND COMPOLS TO CAREFULLY RE-APPRAISE X STRENGTHEN OPERATIONAL STRATEGY YOURS X TO PROFESSIONALLY MANAGE PROTESTS X AND ANY CIVIL DISTURBANCES WHICH COULD ARISE THEREFORE X COMMAND COMPOLS SHOULD ENSURE X ALL TACTICAL UNIT COMMANDERS YOURS X TO MAINTAIN FULL COMPLEMENT OF PERSONNEL X ON STANDBY X
“FOR RAPID RESPONSE DEPLOYMENT / REINFORCEMENT X ALSO X DEPLOY SUFFECIENT PERSONNEL TO STRATEGIC LOCATIONS X INCLUDING GOVERNMENT FACILITIES X PUBLIC UTILITIES X AND OTHER CRITICAL INFRASTRACTURES X ENSURE VISIBLE POLICE PRESENCE TO DETER CRIMINAL ELEMENTS WHO MAY SEEK TO EXPLOIT THE SITUATION X ENGAGE LABOUR LEADERS X CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS X OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN COMMAND YOURS X TO ENCOURAGE PEACEFUL CONDUCT X ENSURE ALL DEPLOYMENTS ARE CARRIED OUT IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER WITH STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT X AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS X
“DRESS CODE X ALL OFFICERS TO BE ON CAMOURFLAGE X UNTIL STANDOWN ORDER IS GIVEN X ALL TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECIEPT BY RETURN SIGNAL X TREAT AS IMPORTANT X PLEASE.”