President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday night held a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in a last-minute effort to ease rising tensions ahead of the labour union’s planned nationwide protest over worsening insecurity across the country.

The high-level engagement, which took place at the State House, was convened amid growing public anxiety over kidnappings, banditry, violent crimes, and attacks on communities in several parts of Nigeria. Labour leaders have repeatedly accused the government of failing to adequately protect lives and property.

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Present at the meeting were prominent government officials, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State; Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State; and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Honourable Nkeiruka Onyejeocha. Senior security and labour ministry officials were also said to be in attendance.

The labour delegation was led by the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, alongside other top officials of the congress.

The meeting comes barely 24 hours before the NLC’s scheduled mass protest on December 17, which the union says is aimed at drawing national and international attention to the deteriorating security situation and the growing hardship faced by Nigerian workers and citizens.

Although no official communiqué was issued at the end of the discussions, sources familiar with the meeting disclosed that talks centred on security concerns, the protection of workers, and possible steps to de-escalate tensions and avert the planned demonstration. Government representatives reportedly appealed to labour leaders to give ongoing security reforms and engagements more time.

Earlier in the week, the NLC had insisted there would be “no going back” on the protest, stressing that repeated dialogues had failed to translate into concrete improvements on the ground. The congress maintained that peaceful mass action remained one of the few tools available to compel urgent government response to citizens’ grievances.

The Tinubu administration has, in recent months, reiterated its commitment to tackling insecurity through security sector reforms, increased funding, intelligence coordination, and collaboration with state governments. However, labour unions and civil society groups argue that the impact of these measures has yet to be felt by ordinary Nigerians.

As of press time, it remains unclear whether the late-night talks will lead to a suspension or modification of the planned nationwide protest, with Nigerians awaiting an official position from the NLC leadership.