ASUU decries alleged victimisation, intimidation of members

The Kano Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-Kano Zone), has decried alleged victimisation of its members in some universities in the zone.

The Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Abdulkadir Muhammad, in a statement in Kaduna on Friday, described the development as a “gross violation” of university rules and regulations.

Muhammad said: “ASUU-Kano Zone is deeply disillusioned and saddened by the incessant victimisation, intimidation, harassment and dehumanisation of its members in a number of public universities.

“This was largely because of their insistence on due process and adherence to the rules and regulations governing the operation of the Nigerian university system.

“The victimisation is mainly perpetrated silently by the university administrations and, at times, open endorsement of the Chairmen of the Governing Councils and Visitors of the affected universities.

“The obnoxious, unjust and callous victimisation and degradation of our members are more pronounced in Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba; Lagos State University (LASU), Ojoo; and Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki.

“Others include Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO); and Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.”

Muhammad alleged that in KSU, 120 members of ASUU have been unjustly dismissed in the last seven years for demanding conducive working conditions, better welfare packages, payment of backlogged salaries and allowances, and adequate funding of the university.

He added that the affected members sought legal redress and unfortunately, the court ruled against the victims and in favour of the university.

“ASUU-Kano Zone is particularly disturbed by the travesty of justice in this judgement delivered against our innocent members.

“However, the union will continue to explore all legal avenues to ensure reinstatement of the sacked members in KSU,” he said.

He also alleged that the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the union in LASU, were illegally dismissed in September 2017, for insisting on strict observance of due process in running the affairs of the university.

He equally claimed that in September 2019, the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the union were also dismissed for requesting the reversal of the wrongful promotion of one of the lecturers to the rank of professor.

“To add insult to injury, the Treasurer of the Branch was, on the same date, also dismissed for demanding that her well-deserved promotion be properly dated.

“In February 2022, two separate committees were set up, and their final reports absolved the five ASUU leaders of any wrongdoing.

“Consequently, the Governing Council directed their unconditional reinstatement with immediate effect, but the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, set up a visitation panel and all the relevant stakeholders, including ASUU, submitted memoranda.

“Disappointingly, the government refused to release the White Paper of the Visitation Panel, and the affected members are yet to be reinstated,” he claimed.

The zonal coordinator further alleged that in EBSU, the immediate past Chairperson of the Branch, Ndubuisi Idenyi, was suspended by the university administration for convening a meeting of ASUU’s Ethics, Grievances, Conflict and Crisis Management Committee.

He equally said that the Branch Chairperson, Mr Ikecheku Igwenyi, was also suspended for convening an online meeting to convey unions National Executive Council’s resolutions to members of the Branch.

“The Chairperson has also been denied his promotion to the professorial cadre since 2017 and worse still, the university administration has banned the union’s activities on the campus.

“This is a clear violation of the fundamental right to freedom of association as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution,” he said.

According to him, these violations of university rules and regulations are not peculiar to KSU, LASU and EBSU, but are also obtainable in many other universities.

He frowned at the dehumanisation, denial of promotion, non-payment of backlogged salaries and arrears, travesty of justice, denial of freedom of assembly and association for the union members.

He also expressed displeasure over the alleged increased violation of other fundamental human rights of the union members and all forms of victimisation in many public universities.

“We, therefore, call on the respective university administrations, Governing Councils and the Visitors of the affected universities to respect the university laws, as well as the freedom of assembly and association.

“We also want an end to the victimisation of innocent intellectuals and their families and urged the respective authorities to recall all the illegally suspended members and reinstate those unjustly dismissed,” Muhammad said.