The Nigeria Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, on Thursday, stopped the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, from embarking on a protest in Abuja.
As soon as the leadership of JAC started 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, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igwe, arrived at the Unity Fountain and warned that there would be no protest.
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Consequently, the police used an armoured vehicle and a Hilux van to block the entry and exit gates to stop the protest.
All entreaties made to the police by the leadership of the two unions could not persuade them to allow the aggrieved members to proceed with the protest rally.
Some of the non-teaching staff members had wanted to revolt against the police directive, but they were calmed down by their leaders not to do anything that could lead to violence.
The aggrieved staff wondered why the police could attempt to stop a peaceful protest in a democracy and described the action as a bad omen for democracy.
To ensure that the letters were submitted to the relevant ministries, the leadership of JAC decided to use their vehicles instead of the initial peaceful protest to go to the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
The unions issued an ultimatum, warning that if the four months’ worth of withheld salaries are not paid by next week, they will have no choice but to embark on a full-scale strike, shutting down universities and inter-university centres nationwide
Those who addressed the protesting workers are the SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, the NASU President, Hassan Makolo, and the NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi.