The Federal Workers Forum (FWF), National Action Council, has issued a strong warning to the Nigerian Government over worsening insecurity, the near-collapse of the health sector, and the continued non-payment of wage awards owed to federal workers.
The Forum, in a statement released on Monday and jointly signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, announced that federal workers across the country will embark on a solidarity march on December 4, 2025, to press home their demands.
The group expressed grave concern about the “escalating insecurity across the country,” saying the situation now poses a direct threat to federal workers performing official duties.
The Forum cited the recent abduction of staff of the Ministry of Defence who were travelling to Abuja for promotional examinations, describing the attack as “tragic and symbolic of a nation where even those serving in highly sensitive institutions are no longer safe.”
According to the statement, fear has grown among government employees who frequently travel for examinations, training, and other mandatory assignments.
“The Federal Government must urgently take concrete steps to ensure safety along our highways and communities,” the Forum stated, warning that failure to act could force federal workers to “mobilize for a nationwide peaceful protest” or consider “a vote of no confidence in the government.”
It added that federal workers “are not demanding special treatment, only the basic right to live and work without fear of abduction or death.”
The Forum also declared solidarity with striking health workers — including the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) — accusing the government of negligence and failure to meet long-standing demands for allowances and better working conditions.
It lamented that the nation’s health system had deteriorated to a point where “Nigerians are dying from conditions that should ordinarily be treatable,” a crisis worsened by the mass migration of medical professionals.
The statement condemned political leaders who travel abroad for medical treatment while “ordinary citizens are left to suffer in underfunded and understaffed hospitals.”
The Forum further decried the government’s failure to pay the outstanding ₦105,000 wage award meant to cushion the impact of rising inflation, fuel costs, and a deepening economic crisis.
Withholding the funds at such a critical time, it said, amounted to “insensitivity and poor governance.”
The Forum also expressed fears that the government’s heavy reliance on borrowing had created the suspicion that “even the wage award funds may have been diverted or borrowed.”
It called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to “immediately declare a nationwide strike,” push for a “new and dignified minimum wage,” and compel the government to honour its obligations.
Announcing the next line of action, the Forum invited workers, civil society groups, activists, and the media to join the solidarity march to the Federal High Court on December 4, 2025.
According to the statement, the march is also aimed at showing support for Comrade Andrew Emelieze in his ongoing legal dispute involving the Federal Government and the Department of State Services (DSS).
“This solidarity action is not just about one individual; it is a defence of workers’ rights, freedom of expression, and the right to organize without intimidation,” the statement read.
The Forum reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers and urged citizens to remain vigilant and united.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us — workers, citizens, and future generations alike,” it added.
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