“Cruise Country”: Nigerians React As Police Share Biscuit, Water to Lagos Protesters, Video Surfaces

• The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other related unions have commenced the two-day protest over the hardship in the country
• A video showing police officers on duty sharing biscuits and water with protesters in Lagos state has gotten the attention of many Nigerians
• Many lauded the police, noting that the protest was a fight for all Nigerians, not a selected few

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Lagos state - On Tuesday, February 27, operatives of the Lagos state police command were seen sharing biscuits and water with protesters who are members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Alausa, Lagos.

As reported by The Cable, The protesters had gathered around the Ikeja area of the nation’s capital to register their grievances over the rising cost of living in the country.

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“There is hunger, which kind govt be this?”: NLC protesters march into national assembly complex

Police operatives were captured in a van handing out bottled water and snacks to the demonstrators who marched through the streets.

Why Labour staged a peaceful protest

The NLC in particular, were also protesting the government’s alleged failure to implement agreements reached between both parties on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

Meanwhile, The unions 16-point agreement that was reached on October 2023, focused on the payment of a N35,000 wage award to workers for six months, the inauguration of a committee on minimum wage review, and the provision of buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), among others.

Labour demanded that the federal government reverse the removal of petroleum subsidy for them to have a meaningful life.

NLC president Joe Ajaero, also complained that the committee set up by Tinubu to deliberate on the increase of minimum wage is yet to sit and commence its meetings.

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APC, PDP, LP react as NLC protest spreads across Nigeria, urge Tinubu to ease economic tension

As reported by The Punch, the policemen joined the movement as protesters chanted "Up Nigeria Police."

Nigerians react as police share biscuits to protesters

The generosity of the officers generated mixed reactions on X. Legit.ng captured some of their opinions below.

@Dgreatayfocus tweeted:

"Nigeria is a cruise country.

"Tell me how government want to take you serious."

@MikeAdimaIje tweeted:

"Big kudos to the Nigerian police. Everybody now realizes that the fight is for all cus nobody is an exception in this hardship."

@Sir_P_ tweeted:

"Lol, they are arranging PR in anticipation of the horrible things they'll do to Nigerian citizens during the REAL protests."

Watch the video below:

Hardship: PDP, LP back NLC protest as APC kicks

Meanwhile, two major opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), have thrown their weight behind the two-day protest declared by the NLC.

Read also

Breaking: NLC begins nationwide protest over economic hardship

This was even as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed concern that the NLC protest may be hijacked.

The opposition parties disclosed that the economic hardship is enough to make the masses join labour to kick against the insensitivity of the federal government.

In the same vein, the commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom state, Waheed Ayilara, deployed 3,200 police officers across the state after a meeting with the state chapter of the NLC, affiliate bodies and other stakeholders given the planned protest by the labour Union.

Source: Legit.ng