TheCable

The police have deployed 8,000 personnel across Kaduna state ahead of the protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress over the sacking of 36,000 civil servants.

NAN reports that heavily armed security personnel were stationed at the NLC headquarters along Independence Way and strategic areas of the metropolis while others were patrolling the town.

The police and other security personnel were also stationed along major streets in the city including Kaduna-Kachia road, Kaduna-Zaria highway and Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

Most streets were empty with minimal vehicular movement due to the high presence of security personnel within the town, with a few commercial vehicles plying the roads.

Ayuba Wabba, NLC national president, said on Wednesday that the protest is necessary because “the state government has to be stopped by all means lawful for the sake of Kaduna state and Nigerian people”.

He said the protest, which will take place on Thursday, follows the “exhaustion of all processes aimed at constructive engagement with the state government”.

But speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Agyole Abe, Kaduna state commissioner of police, warned that protesters will not be tolerated in the state as all forms of processions had been banned.

He said: “Those who might be contemplating to come to Kaduna to foment trouble are strictly advised to stay away from the state as the command is prepared to deal decisively with any such person or group.”

Abe said the command received a letter in respect of the protest late Tuesday afternoon and “considering the short notice given by the organisers of the protest, the command cannot guarantee that miscreants would not hijack the protest.

“We wish to also remind you that the last incident relating the same issue of teachers where the organised Labour unions staged what was supposed to be a peaceful protest turned out to be a near breach of the public peace in the state which resulted to chaos and destruction of some properties of government especially at the State House of Assembly.

“It is therefore advised that law abiding citizens should go about their lawful businesses without any hindrance as adequate security measures have been put in place to guarantee their safety.”

Meanwhile, the state government says it has obtained a bench warrant to arrest violent protesters in the state.

Samuel Aruwan, the governor’s spokesman, said, “no amount of blackmail will make the government rescind its decision on the ongoing reforms in the education sector”.