Police barricade NASU, SSANU protesters at Unity Fountain in Abuja

Police on Thursday barred non-teaching unions at universities from carrying out planned street protests in Abuja.

Trade unions including the Non-Academic Workers Union of Educational and Related Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) protested salary cuts of their members and other issues.

Protesters were confined to the Unity Fountain where they gathered to begin their march towards the Ministry of Education, Employment and Labour to deliver their letter to the ministers.

The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Beneth Igwe, who was personally present at the protest, told union leaders that the protest was restricted to Unity Fountain for security reasons.

However, the Commissioner refused to speak to journalists who were there to cover the protest.

The union on July 7 ordered all branches to hold a one-day nationwide protest on July 9 and a nationwide protest in Abuja on Thursday (today) to air their grievances over withheld salaries and other outstanding issues.

READ ALSO: NASU, SSANU protest over four-month salary withholding

Following the directive, the protesting workers gathered at the Unity Fountain carrying placards reading, “Enough promises: Pay us our salaries that have been withheld for four months; “We need funds, pay us what you owe us,” “Federal government stop making excuses, pay us what we earn, it is our right” and “university is not a constituent project,” among others.

NASU Secretary General, Mr. Peters Adeyemi, who spoke to journalists at the Unity Fountain, said the protest was in fulfillment of a commitment made by the union’s Joint Action Committee (JAC).

According to him, they had communicated with security forces before taking to the streets to demonstrate.

He said: “They are of the opinion that we should not have this protest at all because they feel the FCT is not safe.

“However, we told them that we would be very peaceful because that is what we have always been known for.

“The issue is very clear. In fact, we should not be involved in protests if the government acts in a way that will also appease our members.

“Unfortunately, the government does not seem to show any sensitivity to the issues affecting non-teaching staff in our universities and international centres. That is why this problem has dragged on until now.”

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