Decries wickedness, victimisation against members across Nigeria
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has decried the alleged victimisation, intimidation, harassment and dehumanisation of its members in some public universities.
This was contained in a statement issued by Kano Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Professor Abdulkadir Mohammad, in Kano on Saturday.
He cited insistences of not following due process and adherence to regulations governing the Nigerian university system.
He expressed concern over the development, stating that university administrations, governing councils, and visitors (governors) were not acting in the best interest of public universities.
Mohammad identified Kogi State University (KSU), Lagos State University (LASU), Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU) as those allegedly victimising lecturers.
Others, he said, included: Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) as institutions where ASUU members face victimisation.
Specifically, he mentioned 120 unjustly dismissed ASUU members in KSU since 2017, largely for demanding better working conditions and welfare packages.
“There is the illegal dismissal of ASUU-LASU chairperson and vice chairperson in 2017 for insisting on due process.
“There is also the dismissal of ASUU-LASU Secretary and Assistant Secretary in 2019 for questioning wrongful promotions and the suspension of EBSU ASUU Chairperson and Secretary for convening meetings,” he alleged.
Mohammad promised that ASUU would explore all legal avenues to ensure reinstatement of sacked members.
He called on university administrations, governing councils, and governors to reinstate suspended or dismissed ASUU members.
“They should also address denial of promotion, non-payment of backlog salaries and arrears and respect fundamental human rights and freedom of association
He condemned the dehumanisation and violation of members’ rights, urging authorities to take immediate action to address that.
Also, ASUU has decried the various wickedness and victimisation against its members in government Universities across the country declaring that Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma as the epicenter of such maltreatment.
ASUU made the declaration through its Bauchi Zone which addressed Journalists at the end of its Zonal EXCO meeting held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi on Saturday.
Reading the text of the Press conference at the ASUU ATBU, Secretariat, Prof. O. A. Timothy Namo Zonal Coordinator, Bauchi Zone stated, “The Union resolved to set aside September 10, 2024 as the National Day of Solidarity with our victimised members in some Universities.”
According to him, “These universities include Lagos State University (LASU), Ojoo; Kogi State University (KSU), Anyigba; Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki; Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.”
He explained that, “All Branches and Zones of the Union were directed to organise programmes and press conferences to mark the day. The Bauchi Zone has decided to hold this press briefing in line with the directive of the Union.”
The issues according to him are the “unjustifiable and excruciating hardship being meted to our colleagues in the aforementioned universities. Our Union is worried that the respective Visitors and Administrators of these Universities have continued to victimise our members through wicked actions including, but not limited to, termination of appointments, suspension from work, withholding of salaries and allowances, denial and delay of promotion, exclusion from statutory meetings and non-remittance of union dues and other third-party deductions.”
While giving a run-down of the issues in the respective Universities, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator stated, ”Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma is the hottest and epicenter of the wickedness and victimization of our members.”
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