HEAVY SECURITY PRESENCE AS SSANU, NASU PROTEST IN ABUJA OVER FOUR MONTHS WITHHELD SALARIES
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The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) were prevented from protesting in Abuja on Thursday by the Nigeria Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT Command).
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igwe, stormed the Unity Fountain and warned that there would be no protest as soon as the JAC leadership began addressing members for the protest for onward movement to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, where they are to present letters to the ministers.
In order to put an end to the demonstration, the police blocked the entrance and exit gates with an armored car and a Hilux van.
The leaders of the two unions begged the police to let the angry members continue with the protest demonstration, but they were unmoved.
Several of the non-teaching staff members were on the verge of rebelling against the police order, but their leaders dissuaded them from taking any action that would incite violence.
The incensed employees questioned how the police could try to put down a nonviolent demonstration in a democracy, calling the move a sign of doom for the system.
Instead of continuing with the first nonviolent demonstration, the JAC leadership chose to use their cars to transport Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, his counterpart in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, to make sure the letters were delivered to the appropriate ministries.
The unions threatened to close universities and inter-university centers if the four months’ worth of payments that have been withheld are not paid by next week.
The NASU President, Comrade Hassan Makolo, the SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, and the NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, spoke to the striking employees.
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